The governor of Moldova's pro-Russian region of Gagauzia is reportedly the second regional leader of the Eastern European country to request “protection” from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Portal, Gagauzia Governor Eugenia Gutul accused her country's pro-EU leadership of “repressing” pro-Kremlin residents of her region during a meeting with the speaker of the Russian Senate in Moscow on Friday.
The development came after Transnistria, a pro-Russian breakaway state not internationally recognized by Moldova's Congress, earlier this week demanded that Putin's government “implement measures to defend Transnistria,” sparking fears that Russia would invade Moldova could do.
“We want to… continue to receive support from the Russian Federation,” Gutul reportedly told spokeswoman Valentina Matviyenko during the meeting on Friday, before calling for the establishment of direct air links between Gagauzia and Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu are pictured in Moscow on February 23. Eugenia Gutul, governor of a pro-Kremlin region in Moldova, reportedly asked leaders for “support” from Moscow on Friday….Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu are pictured in Moscow on February 23 . Eugenia Gutul, governor of a pro-Kremlin region in Moldova, reportedly asked leaders for “support” from Moscow on Friday. More contributor
Matviyenko reportedly responded by praising Gutul for taking care of “the development of the economy,” while touting “the expansion of relations between our regions and Gagauzia,” and pointing out that “ten Russian sub-regions signed agreements with Gagauzia have”.
“There is an autonomous territorial entity, Gagauzia, that cares about its citizens, that wants to develop, that wants to improve the well-being of its citizens,” Matviyenko said, according to Russian state media agency TASS.
“And if the leaders of Gagauzia are willing to cooperate in this way, we will … provide all possible assistance.” [to] “Strengthening and expanding our bonds,” she added. “And no one can forbid us or you from doing it.” [from doing so].”
Newsweek reached out to Putin's office and the Embassy of Moldova in Washington, D.C. via email Friday evening for comment.
Gutul was elected leader of Gagauzia last year on a pro-Russian platform as Moldova's government later launched an investigation into election fraud. Among other things, it was about residents allegedly voting for Gutul after accepting bribes.
The governor's visit to Moscow is likely to increase concerns that Moldova could become the next target of Putin's expansionist efforts. The country shares its eastern border with Ukraine, which Russia invaded on February 24, 2022 under the pretext of supporting pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Moldova also received EU candidate status in 2022 and plans to become a member of the union by 2030. The Russian government has strongly opposed its regional neighbors joining organizations such as the EU and NATO, whose expansion Putin cited as an additional reason for the invasion of Ukraine.
In February 2023, Moldova's President Maia Sandu accused Putin of plotting a coup to overthrow her country's government. Some Western analysts warned that this scenario could be achieved with the help of about 1,500 soldiers who remain stationed in Transnistria after the war that led to this scenario as an unrecognized state in the 1990s.
A Russian Foreign Ministry official told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Wednesday that Moscow would “carefully” consider Transnistria's request to protect Russian “compatriots” in the region.
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Newsweek strives to challenge conventional wisdom and find connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek strives to challenge conventional wisdom and find connections in the search for common ground.