Moscow threatens Moldova for joining EU sanctions

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that Moscow has slammed Moldova’s decision to join the European Union’s anti-Russia sanctions as another hostile step and it will not leave it unanswered.

"On November 23, official Chisinau joined the sanctions that were imposed on Russia back in March 2014, due to actions, as specified, that subverted the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. We have already provided our view on this decision by the Moldovan authorities. We regard it as another hostile step aimed at ruining Russian-Moldovan relations. There should be no doubt that it will not be left without an answer on our part," she said at a briefing, TASS reports.

Russia sees how the Moldovan leadership is ratcheting up the intensity of its anti-Russian rhetoric as the EU Council’s December meeting focused on the launch of Moldova’s accession negotiations draws nearer, Zakharova noted.

"Those political forces now in power are obviously using [this issue] to attempt to compensate for their loss in local elections and rehabilitate their image in the eyes of Brussels," she stressed.