Russia concerned over speculations about threats from Transnistria — diplomat - TASS

Moscow is concerned over the ongoing speculations about an alleged threat coming from Transnistria, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

According to Zakharova, Moscow is closely watching the situation in the process of the Transnistrian settlement amid the special military operation in Ukraine. "We are concerned of the ongoing speculations about a threat allegedly coming from Transnistria. Tiraspol’s refutations and its repeated calls for consolidating peace and stability in the region are ignored," she said, adding that Russia hopes for progress in talks between Chisinau and Tiraspol.

She stressed that Moscow "strongly condemns" attempts at explaining the pause in the Transnistrian settlement efforts in the 5+2 format (Moldova, Transnistria, the OSCE, Russia, Ukraine and observers from the European Union and the United States) by Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Zakharova noted that the recent visit to the region by the OSCE, the 5+2 format coordinator, yielded no progress either. "It only confirmed the shortage of a mediatory resource in the activities of the Polish chairman-in-office. It looks like instead of trying to reach compromises on the pressing settlement issues the Polish chairperson-in-office is becoming a background player in the process," she added.