Moldova weighs Romania option as Russian threat looms, foreign minister says

Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mihai Popsoi said that a referendum on unification with Romania would likely be supported primarily by Moldovans who hold Romanian citizenship, and stressed that such a decision could only be taken in extreme circumstances where the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, or citizens’ lives are under direct threat.

Asked whether he would personally vote for unification, Popsoi noted that the answer “should be self-evident” for those with Romanian citizenship, Caliber.Az reports, citing Moldovan media.

“I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone that, for those who hold Romanian citizenship, the answer should be obvious. This decision is not a simple one – if it were simple, it would have already happened. And as long as there is no majority of citizens who support this goal in a democratic context – and the Republic of Moldova is a democratic state – such a decision can be taken only with a broad majority of citizens, regardless of the wishes or vote of any particular politician,” Popsoi said during the Radio Moldova program At 360 Degrees.

Referring to President Maia Sandu’s remarks to British journalists that she would vote in favor of unification, Popsoi noted that such a move would only be relevant “when the situation gets out of control.”

“We cannot hide behind a finger, given the existential danger to the life and integrity not only of our territory, but also of the physical safety of our citizens. If the Russian Federation were to get much too close to our borders – and it has already come closer since 2014 – if the situation were to get out of control and events were to unfold in such a way that our existence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the lives of our citizens were directly threatened, such decisions are taken in such complicated moments. However, we want to live in peace and we hope that international partners, Ukraine and the Russian Federation – which initiated this conflict – will reach a sustainable and lasting peace agreement,” he added.

Popsoi emphasized that President Sandu’s statements were consistent with prior positions and reflected the country’s complex geopolitical reality. “In extremely complicated realities and in a world going through geopolitical turbulence, today’s circumstances do not allow me to say that Moldova has guaranteed security or entirely clear prospects,” he said.

President Sandu has also highlighted that while she supports unification, broad political support is limited, making European integration the most practical path for safeguarding Moldova’s sovereignty and survival in the current regional context.

By Vafa Guliyeva