Moldova vs. Russia: Next Round

The biggest and most important event in terms of Moldova's foreign policy is the recent official meeting of the Moldovan President Voronin with the Russian President Putin that took place in Moscow. Its importance derives from the fact that the relations between these two countries have been tense for the last three years, since Moldova's refusal to sign the Kozak Memorandum prepared by Russia, and intended as a solution to the Transnistrian conflict. It should not be suprising that the Kozak Memorandum, as any other agreement prepared unilaterally by Russia for Moldova, given the present distribution of power, completely neglected Moldova's territorial integrity aspirations.

What this official meeting, first in the last three years, will bring about is still unclear. There are high hopes related to improved political and commercial relations with Russia. This meeting marks the beginning of a new phase in the political dialogue, and will most likely contribute to stabilization of Moldo-Russian relations. There is no other way. However, again and as always, it's up to the Moldovan government to act and negotiate strategically so as to obtain as much as it is realistically possible from this renewed relationship with Russia. The underlying disequilibrium of political and economic power between Moldova and Russia will never change, thus the best Moldova can do is to learn to take advantage of opportunities, be diplomatically nimble and smart, and continuously seek support from larger powers that have the ability to negotiate with Russia on more equal terms.