NATO sceptical of Russia annexing Moldova's Transnistria But ready to respond

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana has said that the North Atlantic Alliance is sceptical about the possibility of Russia annexing Moldova's Transnistrian region, controlled by pro-Russian separatists and backed by the Kremlin.

NATO will respond to such attempts by Moscow, particularly through a pseudo-referendum, Realidadea.md quotes Geoana as saying. 

"If Russia decides to annex Transnistria, NATO will condemn such actions and will continue to support Moldova," he said.

According to the official, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had previously planned to "clamp Ukraine in a vise", including through the unrecognised "Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic", where a certain number of Russian military personnel are still stationed, but so far he has not had the strength to do so.

The NATO representative also spoke about fake "referendums in unrecognised Ossetia, Abkhazia and, in particular, in Transnistria, which were organised and held earlier".

"They are absolutely invalid from an international point of view," Gioane emphasised on Romanian TV.

The NATO deputy secretary general suggested that a congress of "MPs" in Transnistria, announced for the end of February, could probably announce not a "referendum" but new trade agreements between Russia and the "Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic".

He recalled that a pseudo-referendum was held in Transnistria several years ago.