Posted on 02/02/2023 4:20:54 PM PST by familyop
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov referred to Moldova as “the next Ukraine" in a criticism of the Black Sea state that stokes Moldovan anxiety about the prospect of an attack from Russia.
"We categorically reject the statement by the head of Russian diplomacy, which does not correspond to reality, and is part of the already well-known threatening rhetoric of Russian diplomacy,” the Moldovan Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
Lavrov drew the analogy as Moscow renews its attempt to characterize its invasion of Ukraine as a defensive struggle against fascist ideology. Russia has maintained a military presence in Moldova over the objections of the Moldovan government, a dispute that could provide kindling for another crisis, spurring Moldova to seek deeper ties with U.S. and European governments.
"The West has already set its sights on the Republic of Moldova,” Lavrov told state media, saying that Moldova has “a president who wants to join NATO, has Romanian citizenship, is ready to unite with Romania and, in general, she is ready for almost anything.”
The territory of modern Moldova was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, but Moldova and Romania, a member of NATO, have long-standing social and cultural ties stemming in part from their common background as part of the former Kingdom of Romania. Moldova has a neutrality clause in its constitution, but Moldovan President Maia Sandu has accused Russia of trying to use “corrupt groups and some political groups to destabilize” her country.
“There is a serious discussion in the society, about our capacity to defend ourselves — whether we can do it ourselves, or whether we should be part of a larger alliance,” Sandu told Politico’s EU Confidential podcast. “It’s not Moldova which started a war against its neighbors ... Now that we see the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we understand how serious this is, and we understand that we need to make the defense sector a priority.”
Moldovan intelligence officials have suggested that the Kremlin might try to seize the entire Ukrainian coastline on the Black Sea in order to create a corridor that links mainland Russia with the disputed territories of Moldova.
“The question is not whether the Russian Federation will launch a new offensive in the direction of Moldovan territory, but when it will happen: either at the beginning of the year, in January, February, or later, in March, (or) April,” Moldovan spy chief Alexandru Musteata said in December. “What will follow — their intentions towards Chisinau — we can discuss. But this is a real and very high risk.”
Lavrov’s comments come a week after Putin’s allies in the Russian parliament issued their own warnings.
"If Moldova wants to destroy its own state, this is the best way,” Russian lawmaker Leonid Kalashnikov said, referring to the idea of Moldova’s membership in NATO. “If they think that, like Finland or Sweden, secretly, quickly, taking advantage of the situation, they can join NATO and that nothing will happen to them for this in their own country, they should remember something else. The fact that Finland has two official languages and respects its people.”
Moldova has applied to join the European Union, which is an economic and political bloc, not the military alliance that is NATO.
“Joining the EU is our only option to survive as a democracy, so it's a must for us,” Sandu said.
“We do believe in democracy. We want to stay part of the free world.”
Her government struck a similar note in its response to Lavrov. "We would like to remind the Russian side that the path Moldova is following is the path of accession to the EU,” the Moldovan Foreign Ministry said. “Moldova has clearly chosen its future, and this future is part of the free world.”
Does any of this sound familiar?
Yes, it is. They’re going to have problems until they kick out the squating Russians. Russia is a cancer that brings only misery and death where it goes.
This article isn’t about Russia. It’s about Maldova perceiving a threat that isn’t there.
What an odd thing to say given that Russia literally stole part of their country back in the 1990’s.
“Obvious it didn’t happen...”
Yeah, it would have been hard for them to continue to step 4 of the plan (attack Moldova) when they never managed to accomplish step 3 of capturing Odessa.
“It sounds like this is about Transnistria, who is an area that wants independence from Maldova.”
Of course it’s about Transnistria. It’s the standard Putin playbook for setting up an invasion. Find some minority of Russian-speakers in another country, claim they are “oppressed”, funnel them weapons and help them rebel to split off from their mother country, and then when this starts a conflict, Russia claims they must step in.
He’s followed the same playbook in Abkhazia, Transnistria, South Ossetia, Luhansk, Donetsk, Crimea, etc. Putin just adopted the strategy that Hitler was using to justify invading half of Europe, and added a couple extra steps.
Don’t forget Syria-Lebanon, Serbia-Kosovo-Bosnia, Iraq-Kuwait, etc. It’s the KGB’s playbook.
The I-Love-Putin crowd told that same lie in 2022. Normal people aren’t gonna listen to it this time.
“Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership.”
It’s just Russia wanting to spread beyond its borders. Call it imperialism, for lack of a better word.
That paper is from june 2022, which is after
1. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008
2. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, grabbed Crimea and created a frozen conflict in the Donbas
3. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 again
4. Russia committed Grozny level atrocities in Bucha etc
Putin brought this upon Russia
Toss the disputed territory in with the remains of Ukraine that Poland gets.
They would join with Romania
Turkey never controlled Moldova. Turkey has existed onoy since 1919.
The Ottoman empire controlled romanian lands.
I should have said, “give it back to the Turks”.
You are correct. Most people here think history began in 1945, there’s a few who think it began in 1919.
Look how many people think Galicia is Ukrainian and not Polish (or Austrian).
Anyway - the point is, the US is clueless about the Balkans, the Carpathians, and further East, and we should stay the hell away from peoples who KNOW history began with the baptism of Vladimir the Great.
Well, today the historical "Galicia" is split between Poland and Ukraine
But historically it has been Hun, Great Moravia, Kyivan Rus, Austrian, etc. etc.
The baptism of Vladimir the Great - note that he was the Grand Prince of Kyiv. Moscow didn't exist at that point in time
The USA is helping Ukraine fight off an invasion by Putin -- note this is not "Russia v/s the USA or Ukraine" - rather this is Putin's egotistical war
The USA is involved because Putin has been slicing up his neighbors too long and if something was not done NOW, it would explode
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