Business
Transdnestr leader Igor Smirnov said in...
could be the growing influence of the United States in Eastern Europe. Responding to these plans by deploying a similar base in Transdnestr would only aggravate the problem and complicate relations between Russia and Moldova and further dialogue on the future of Transdnestr.Russia"s small military presence in Transdnestr given the current political situation in Ukraine, which is bound to change with the transfer of power from Viktor Yushchenko to Viktor Yanukovych, is sufficient for facilitating dialogue on Transdnestr.
Any unduly sharp move in this situation would only complicate relations, and could be possible only in case of a new aggression against Transdnestr. In this event it would be logical if Russia rendered assistance to the breakaway republic, and subsequently extended diplomatic recognition to it and deployed a larger military group there, just as it did in 2008 in Abkhazia and South Ossetia following Georgia"s aggression.