Moldova is Ukraine's fragile neighbour, deeply concerned about war spillover: UN Chief

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday said that he is “deeply concerned” about a possible spread of the war Russia is waging in Moldova, adding that the EU nation is Ukraine's “most fragile neighbour.” Speaking at a press conference alongside Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, UN Chief said that the war in Ukraine will have an impact not only in the region but, “around the world.”  

“The United Nations is committed to supporting not only the people of Ukraine, but also the people of Moldova during these difficult times,” said UN Chief Guterres, adding: Your sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and the solid progress you have made over the past three decades, must not be threatened or undermined.”   

The pro-Russia breakaway region of Moldova, Transnistria, is an internationally recognized Moldovan territory but has been occupied by the Russian forces. Close to 1,500 to 2,000 Russia troops have been stationed in the Moldovan oblast guarding the Soviet era arms depot. Transnistria was recently hit at least four times by suspected drones near the Ukrainian border. The breakaway region raised an alarm stressing that it fears Russia's war in Ukraine could spillover on its frontier. Russian forces have blamed the Ukraine's army for the recent incidents in Transdniestria, although the latter has denied the allegations, saying that Moscow was raising flase flags to provoke a war inside Moldova. 

Expressing worry about the recent developments in the  destabilized region, the UN chief urged Kyiv and Moscow to “step up diplomatic efforts through dialogue to urgently achieve a negotiated settlement, in line with international law and the UN Charter." He also called on regional and international partners to support this process “in the interests of global stability.” “The impact of the war in Ukraine across the region and the world is profound and far-reaching. The consequences of escalation are too frightening to contemplate,” he stated. He stressed, “The Russian invasion of Ukraine must stop. The guns must be silenced.” 

UN Chief's visit to Moldova

UN chief Guterres has made an official visit to non-NATO member Moldova on Monday, where he discussed the consequences of Russia's war against Ukraine. Guterres arrived in Moldova's capital Chisinau on Monday and held a joint press conference with Moldova's Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita. His visit comes at a time when tensions are ripe in the the poorest country in the region with population of about 2.6 million people following a series of attacks that have rocked Moldova's pro-Russia breakaway region of Transnistria. This has put the officials in Chisinau on high alert.