In Moldova, the 47 leaders of the European Political Community, born from an idea of French President Emmanuel Macron, will meet next week. In particular, the speech will be about war and peace in Ukraine, so Russia and Belarus will not be present, according to Europe reporter Geert Jan Hahn.
Furthermore, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is most likely being discussed and there is room for bilateral meetings without an agenda, Hahn thinks. Space that was used last year, for example, to lower the price of gas. “It’s a plan with many legs on the table,” says Hahn.
‘It is a plane where many legs are on the table’
The choice of Moldova as the venue for this European summit is therefore rather strange, given that Sweden will hold the presidency of the European Union for the next period. According to Hahn, there’s a reason. “The idea behind it is that one summit takes place in an EU country and the next one takes place in a non-EU country,” he continues. «Last time it was the Czech Republic, for example, and now Moldova. Next time it will be the turn of Spain and then the United Kingdom».
Hahn also thinks Moldova had the “honour” from Europe to send a strong European signal, “but one wonders whether it was a smart plan to hold the summit five kilometers from the Transnistrian border.”
Quite a complicated stamp
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moldova has been under severe strain, according to Hahn. Especially since the country is made up of a pro-Western, a pro-Romanian and a pro-Russian part. Transnistria, among others, is pro-Russian, but so is the semi-autonomous republic of Gagauzia. “Moldova is quite a complicated stamp,” says Hahn.
In Moldova itself, however, the worst is believed to have been avoided because the Russian front line never reached Odessa, said former Moldovan prime minister Natalia Gavrilita. “The easternmost point of Moldova is only 40 miles from Odessa, so if the front line had moved there, Transnistria probably would have been taken as well,” Gavrilita said. “Then there really would have been an Eastern Front towards Ukraine.”
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
