Moldova Embracing Free World, Not Following Ukraine's Fate - Foreign Ministry

Russia's claim that Moldova could become a "new Ukraine" does not correspond to reality, Moldovan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Daniel Voda said Thursday.

CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2023) Russia's claim that Moldova could become a "new Ukraine" does not correspond to reality, Moldovan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Daniel Voda said Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the West was "eyeing" Moldova for the role of the "new Ukraine," since Moldovan President Maia Sandu, who is seeking NATO membership, is ready to do almost anything, including unification with Romania.

"We categorically reject the statements made by the head of Russian diplomacy, which do not correspond to reality and are part of the already well-known threatening rhetoric of Russian diplomacy.

Moldova has clearly chosen its future, and this future is part of the free world," Voda told reporters.

Voda noted that Moldova has chosen the path of European integration, which is also supported by the Moldovan people.

According to the recent opinion polls in Moldova, over 60% of the its citizens are in favor of close relations with Russia, 21% believe that the two states should maintain at least neutral relations, and almost 65% advocate developing economic relations with Moscow.

Moldovan authorities have repeatedly noted that since February 2022 relations with Moscow have been practically frozen and maintained only at the level of diplomatic missions.