Moldova to exit from Russian-led CIS bloc by mid-February, says foreign minister

Moldova is formally ending its legal ties with the Commonwealth of Independent States, a Moscow-led post-Soviet bloc, according to Moldovan media reports. The process, launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led by Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi, involves denouncing the three founding agreements that constitute the legal basis for Moldova’s CIS membership. The move aligns with Moldova’s stated goal of continuing its European course.

Moldova denounces CIS founding treaties to finalize departure

Popșoi announced during a 19 January interview with Radio Moldova that the government had already begun the legal process to exit the CIS. He said the denunciation of the bloc’s founding documents—the CIS Charter signed in Minsk on 22 January 1993, the original CIS Founding Agreement from 8 December 1991, and its annex dated 22 December 1991—will mark Moldova’s official withdrawal.

“These things would mean that the Republic of Moldova, officially, will no longer be a member of the CIS,” Popșoi said. “De facto, we had suspended our participation for some time, but legally we were still there.”

NewsMaker noted that Moldova’s withdrawal from the CIS gained traction after Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, Moldova’s authorities have gradually reduced their participation in the bloc, citing outdated and unused agreements.

• On 20 June 2023, Parliament denounced the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Convention, citing the body’s incompatibility with Moldova’s European aspirations.
• In December 2023, governing party lawmaker Doina Gherman said Moldova aimed to exit the CIS entirely by the end of 2024.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin previously downplayed Moldova’s role in the bloc, saying its presence had little value for either the CIS or Russia. 

Over 130 CIS agreements already scrapped or under review

Popșoi said Moldova has signed 283 agreements within the CIS framework. Of those, 71 have already been denounced, and roughly 60 more are now being processed for termination. Many of them, he added, are outdated or were never implemented at all.

Moldova has also distanced itself from symbolic cultural arrangements with Russia. At the end of 2025, Parliament formally denounced a cultural agreement with the Russian Federation, which resulted in the closure of the Russian Science and Culture Center in Chișinău. Culture Minister Cristian Jardan said at the time that the center was not cultural in nature but served as a cover for activities aimed at undermining Moldova’s sovereignty.

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Parliamentary vote expected after government procedures conclude

The documents are currently under interministerial review and are expected to reach Parliament at the start of its new session. Popșoi stated that government procedures should be finalized by mid-February, after which lawmakers will vote to denounce the treaties.

He clarified that while these three core agreements are being dismantled, not all CIS-related accords will be scrapped. Those that offer practical benefits and do not contradict Moldova’s European integration path may remain in effect.