Moldova's government in Chisinau has initiated the final legal steps to sever its institutional ties with Moscow’s post-Soviet alliance, marking a decisive moment in the small Eastern European nation’s pivot towards the West.
Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi confirmed on Monday that the country is finalising the denunciation of the founding agreements of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the organisation established in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The move formalises a geopolitical divorce that has been effectively in place since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Let me just say that we are in the process of confirming the denunciation of three agreements with the CIS,” Popsoi told Radio Moldova, referring to the accords that underpinned the bloc’s creation.
“The denunciation of these three agreements will mean we can say that from a legal standpoint we are no longer a member. De facto, we suspended our participation for a time, but de jure we are still there.”
The Kremlin said it regrets Moldova's decision to leave the CIS, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
Peskov said that the decision did not come as a surprise to Moscow, noting that Moldova had effectively stopped participating in CIS activities some time ago.
Moldova, one of Europe's poorest states, located between Ukraine and European Union member Romania, has ceased taking part in all CIS activities since 2023.
This legal separation comes as Moldova accelerates its drive to join the European Union.
President Maia Sandu, a staunch pro-European who secured re-election in 2024, has set a target for EU accession by 2030. Her administration has frequently accused the Kremlin of orchestrating hybrid warfare campaigns designed to destabilise her government and derail the accession process.
Since 2023, Chisinau has ceased participation in CIS summits and military drills. The government has also moved to dismantle the country's historical dependence on Russian energy, integrating its power grids with Romania and the broader European market to escape what officials have termed “energy blackmail” by Gazprom.
The withdrawal coincides with a notable shift in domestic political rhetoric regarding Romania. Moldova, which was part of Greater Romania before being annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, shares a language and deep cultural ties with its EU neighbour.
In a radio interview last week, President Sandu stated for the first time that she would vote 'yes' if a referendum on reunification with Romania were held, to help protect Moldova's fragile democracy against Russian pressure. While unification remains a polarising topic, Sandu’s admission signals a confidence bolstered by her party’s retention of a parliamentary majority in the 2025 elections.
However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that this move would be destructive to Moldovan statehood.
Romania is an EU and NATO member.
Sandu has repeatedly accused Russia of meddling in Moldova, a former Soviet republic of around 2.4 million with a Romanian-speaking majority and a Russian-speaking minority.
Opposition and analysis
The move to abandon the CIS has drawn sharp criticism from the pro-Russian opposition. Former president Igor Dodon, head of the Socialist Party, branded the withdrawal as “unacceptable,” arguing that it severs vital economic lifelines with traditional eastern markets.
However, political analysts argue that the CIS has become obsolete for Moldova’s modern interests. Vitalii Andrievschii, a Chisinau-based political commentator, told Reuters that the withdrawal does not necessitate a total breakdown of relations with individual post-Soviet states.
“We have to bring this process to a conclusion,” Andrievschii said. “We will develop ties on a bilateral basis. But there is no point in remaining in the CIS, run by Russia.”
Regional Tension
The formal exit is likely to further strain relations with Moscow, which maintains around 1,500 "peacekeeping" troops in Transdniestria, a pro-Russian breakaway region in eastern Moldova.
As Chisinau harmonises its laws with Brussels and untangles itself from Moscow’s sphere of influence, the status of this frozen conflict remains the country’s most volatile security challenge.
The United Nations says Israeli crews have begun bulldozing the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in east Jerusalem. The move comes amid...
Moldova's government in Chisinau has initiated the final legal steps to sever its institutional ties with Moscow’s post-Soviet alliance, marking a d...
Russia launched a combined drone and missile attack on Ukraine early on Tuesday, knocking out power and heating supplies to thousands of apartment bui...
A "calculated campaign" of mass executions, sexual violence, and ethnic targeting is sweeping through Sudan’s Darfur region, the International Crimi...
Dozens of beaches along Australia's east coast, including in Sydney, closed on Tuesday (20 January) after four shark attacks in two days, as heavy rai...
Romania has reiterated its openness to discussions on a potential unification with neighbouring Republic of Moldova, following recent remarks by Moldova’s president.
Moldova has officially notified Russia that the Russian Cultural Centre in Chișinău will be closed, with the institution expected to cease operations within six months, Moldovan authorities said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 29th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Moldovan authorities said on Saturday that Russian drones had entered the country's airspace, posing a threat to aviation, in the third such incident in nine days.
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday.
European leaders voiced growing alarm on Sunday over U.S. threats to impose tariffs on eight NATO allies, warning the move could destabilize transatlantic relations and heighten tensions in the Arctic.
Speaking on Armenian public radio on 9 January, Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan made some important announcements for 2026. Among them, discussions between Yerevan and Baku over the range of products Armenia can potentially export to Azerbaijan.
More than 100 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup on Interstate 96 in western Michigan on Monday (19 January), forcing the highway to shut in both directions amid severe winter weather.
Five skiers were killed in a pair of avalanches in Austria’s western Alpine regions on Saturday, with two others injured, one critically.
Russia launched a combined drone and missile attack on Ukraine early on Tuesday, knocking out power and heating supplies to thousands of apartment buildings in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.
A "calculated campaign" of mass executions, sexual violence, and ethnic targeting is sweeping through Sudan’s Darfur region, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has warned, describing a pattern of criminality that is being replicated from city to city with impunity.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 20th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States’ renewed push over Greenland is exposing deeper strains in transatlantic relations, as analysts warn Washington’s approach reflects long-standing unilateral tendencies that could test NATO unity and Europe’s influence.
Australia is poised to pass new laws to enable a national gun buyback and tighten background checks for gun licences in response to the country’s worst mass shooting in decades at a Jewish festival last month.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment