Moldova says it is working with the EU and the United States on a new plan to reintegrate the breakaway region of Transnistria, but officials are withholding details for now due to what they describe as sensitive issues.
The country’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri made the comments after a government meeting on Wednesday.
Russian military presence gains urgency as Moldova advances toward EU
As Moldova advances toward EU integration, the unresolved conflict and Russia’s military presence on the east bank of the Dniester river have regained political urgency. Transnistria has been a Russian-backed breakaway region since a 1990s conflict with Moldovan forces, with its status unresolved for decades.
Chiveri said the roadmap is still being drafted and that several elements require caution and time. He noted that revealing steps publicly while talks are ongoing could undermine progress.
“We can’t describe every action in real time,” he said, adding that the government will present the plan once it is ready.
Only overlap with Russia-Ukraine talks: troop withdrawal
Reporters asked whether the Transnistria issue could be linked to any wider settlement discussions involving Russia and Ukraine. Chiveri said the only relevant overlap is regional security and that any such talks would focus solely on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the region.
He stressed that Chisinau intends to pursue the reintegration process through negotiations that include the Transnistrian side, supported by EU and US partners.
Old negotiation formats collapsed after Russia's invasion
Chiveri said previous international formats for talks have broken down since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Moldova and Transnistria are now holding direct discussions without outside mediators.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this month that removing Russian troops from Moldova and other parts of Europe remains essential for long-term stability.
Breakaway region complicates Moldova's path to EU
Transnistria’s continued separation poses both security and political challenges for Chisinau’s European aspirations.
Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu confirmed in November that discussions with Western partners on a reintegration plan were underway.
