He wished success in the activity of the elected president of Moldova and he wanted to remind about the fact that Maia Sandu also holds Romanian citizenship.

“I wish Maia Sandu all the best in the world, I wish her success. As a representative of a new political force, she did not say anything new. She is the president of Moldova, but at the same time, a citizen of Romania.”

Putin said that the issue can be solved only in specific conditions, mentioning that the European Union is guilty of postponing the troop’s withdrawal.

”We have long heard urges from Western countries to withdraw our peacekeeping troops. We agree, but only when the context is right, as soon as a normal dialogue between Moldova and Transnistria is established, when everyone will choose the path of peace and understanding. That’s what we are for. And I was very close to that with President Voronin [president of Moldova between 2001-2009], but at the last minute, representatives of the West put pressure, Voronin refused, rejected the agreement and the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict was postponed indefinitely. Why, for what? After that I asked my colleagues in the EU, why did you do that? Well, that’s how it turned out. But sooner or later, this issue must be solved, “Vladimir Putin said.