Another region of European countries asks for “Russian protection”

The governor of Moldova’s pro-Russian Gagauzia region has reportedly become the second regional leader in an Eastern European country to request “protection” from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Gagauzia Governor Eugenia Gutul met with Russia’s Senate President in Moscow on Friday and accused the country’s pro-European Union (EU) leadership of “suppressing” the region’s pro-Kremlin residents, Reuters reported. .

This situation comes as the parliament of Transnistria, an internationally unrecognized pro-Russian breakaway state in Moldova, called on the Putin administration to “take measures to defend Transnistria” earlier this week, threatening Russia with an invasion of Moldova. This happened after sparking concerns that the

Gutul reportedly told Speaker Valentina Matviyenko during Friday’s meeting, before requesting the opening of direct flights between Gagauzia and Russia: “We… want to continue receiving support from the Russian Federation.” ” he is said to have said.

Mr. Matviyenko reportedly praised Mr. Gutul for “taking care of economic development,” while touting “expanding ties between our regions and Gagauzia,” adding that “the 10 constituent regions of Russia “We have concluded an agreement with Gagauzia,” he said in response.

“There is an autonomous region called Gagauzia, and we care about our residents, we want development, we want to improve the welfare of our people,” Matviyenko said, according to Russian state media TASS.

“And if the Gagauzia leaders are willing to cooperate in this way, we will… provide all possible assistance.” [to] It strengthens and expands our bonds,” she added. “And no one can forbid us or you.” [from doing so]. ”

newsweek He reached out to Putin’s office and the Moldovan embassy in Washington, D.C., via email Friday night seeking comment.

Gutul was elected head of the pro-Russian Gagauzia party in last year’s election, and was later investigated by Moldova’s central government on suspicions that residents who had received bribes voted for him.

The governor’s visit to Moscow is likely to intensify fears that Moldova could become the next target of President Putin’s expansionist ambitions. The country shares an eastern border with Ukraine, which Russia invaded on February 24, 2022, in the name of supporting pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Moldova was also granted EU membership candidate status in 2022 and plans to become an EU member state by 2030. The Russian government strongly opposes the membership of its regional neighbors in organizations such as the EU and NATO, and Putin cited their expansion as an additional reason. Reasons for the invasion of Ukraine.

In February 2023, Moldova’s President Maia Sandu accused Putin of plotting a coup d’état to overthrow her government, a scenario that some Western analysts believe is too dangerous for Transnistria. It warned that this could be achieved with the support of the approximately 1,500 troops who remain in Transnistria after the war that led to its collapse. A nation that was not yet recognized in the 1990s.

A representative from Russia’s Foreign Ministry told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Wednesday that Russia would “carefully” consider Transnistria’s request for protection for Russian “compatriots” in the region.