Speaker about Transnistrian issue: 5+2 format is dead, we will no longer accept pointless talks

Speaker Igor Grosu has reaffirmed Chişinău’s official position on the Transnistrian settlement process, declaring the 5+2 negotiation format to be “dead” and devoid of any prospect of revival. The statements were made at a TV show in the context of tense talks held yesterday in Tiraspol between negotiators from both banks of the Dniester River.

Igor Grosu stressed that the current settlement mechanism, which includes the Russian Federation and Ukraine as mediators, has become non-functional and irrelevant once Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine. The official pointed out that a format in which one mediator (Russia) invades another mediator (Ukraine) can no longer provide a credible dialogue.

“This format is dead. On the one hand, the Russian Federation is an aggressor state that has invaded Ukraine, the other participant in the talks. On the other hand, the format had already proved its ineffectiveness even before 2022, failing to deliver tangible results since its creation,” Grosu said.

Tiraspol’s and Moscow’s insistence on resuming the 5+2 framework is nothing more than an attempt to preserve a status quo that benefits the separatist regime.

“The nervousness in Tiraspol betrays the difficult situation the regime finds itself in, having lost the levers of control it once had,” he added.

The Speaker explained that the Tiraspol regime is facing a systemic crisis due to the weakening of the two main pillars that have supported it for three decades:

Free gas: Grosu indicated that the era of “gas for free” is coming to an end, and the offshore schemes that still keep consumption going are increasingly fragile. This energy pressure has led to major wage arrears in the region.

Russian army: The illegal presence of Russian troops remains the main security problem, the official warning not to confuse this force with the peacekeeping mission, which, in his opinion, has also only contributed to freezing the conflict.

While the 1+1 format remains the only functional communication channel for technical and humanitarian issues (such as education or energy efficiency), Igor Grosu spoke about the need for a new framework for a political settlement. This future format should include geopolitical actors that support Moldova’s territorial integrity: Romania, Ukraine, the European Union, and the United States.

The official welcomed the “bold” approach of Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri regarding the integration of the education system on the left bank of the Dniester into the national and European system.

“We must stop mistreating children by keeping them in an archaic system. Interest in studies on the right bank is high, and we are coming up with pragmatic solutions such as the Convergence Fund,” Igor Grosu concluded.

Yesterday’s meeting on 16 April at the OSCE office in Tiraspol comes after the resumption of the 1+1 format in February 2026, following a pause of more than a year. Chişinău remains firm in its position that the settlement of the dispute can be achieved exclusively through dialogue and practical measures for the benefit of citizens.

The 1+1 format in the Transnistrian settlement involves direct talks between the chief negotiators from Chişinău and Tiraspol. This dialogue aims to resolve current issues, including social, economic and educational aspects. Russia has called for the fastest possible resumption of negotiations in the 5+2 format.

“Russia has consistently advocated the earliest and unconditional resumption of the 5+2 format, the only recognized and effective mechanism for resolving the conflict. However, due to the positions of Chişinău and later of Kyiv, the format has been inactive since 2019. The meetings between the political representatives of Chişinău and Tiraspol in the so‑called 1+1 format have proven insufficient to reach a solution,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in an interview with the daily Izvestia.

According to Galuzin, the 5+2 format has all the necessary powers and enjoys international recognition. “Tiraspol has never refused dialogue with Chişinău in order to discuss practical issues of interest to both sides,” he maintained.

The 5+2 format includes the Republic of Moldova, the Transnistrian region, the OSCE, Russia, Ukraine, and observers from the United States and the European Union.