Acting Moldovan foreign affairs minister explains status of Russia's representative in Chisinau

Deputy Prime Premier, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popsoi, at a programme titled, In Context, aired on the national TV channel, has said that there was "an uncertainty" regarding the diplomatic status of Oleg Ozerov, the designated ambassador of the Russian Federation to Moldova.

"Mr. Ozerov is Russia's agreed, but unaccredited ambassador. There is an uncertainty regarding his situation. He behaves as if accredited; yet, we must consider diplomatic customs and international practices – for an unaccredited ambassador has a more limited mandate," declared Mihai Popsoi.

The Moldovan diplomacy heads specified that Moldova fully observed international law norms and diplomatic procedures, but emphasized that the current context of bilateral relations with the Russian Federation was complicated.

"Unfortunately, there are sufficient practices in the world when two states do not have the best cooperation relations, as is now happening between Russia and  Moldova. We cannot ignore the harsh reality, in which Russia deliberately decides to annihilate dozens and hundreds of human lives - children, elderly, to destroy churches, hospitals and entire villages - in a state friendly to us, like Ukraine," emphasized Popsoi.

The deputy PM also said that Moldova continued to promote a balanced foreign policy, based on respect for sovereignty, international norms and solidarity with states that defend peace and the world order.

Oleg Ozerov is a career diplomat of the Russian Federation, with experience in the post-Soviet space and the Middle East. He was previously Russia's ambassador to Saudi Arabia and a special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for cooperation with Islamic organizations.

In 2025, Ozerov was proposed and agreed upon by Moldova as the ambassador of the Russian Federation in Chisinau, but he has not yet been officially accredited by Moldovan authorities, which leaves his diplomatic status uncertain. Until the accreditation procedures are completed, Ozerov can perform only limited duties, in accordance with international norms on the diplomatic relations.