Transnistria will help Ukraine and allow the customs of Moldova to enter its territory
It is likely that Ukrainian agricultural products will transit through Transnistria.
Kommersant writes about this, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“In 2022, after the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine, the unrecognized republic found itself in an extremely difficult and unpleasant situation. Kyiv began to look at Transnistria, where Russian flags are hung everywhere and Russian military personnel are stationed, as a hostile territory. On the Ukrainian side, the Transnistrian section of the border with Moldova was promptly closed. The Ukrainian military then even blew up a railway bridge on the border.
Relatively recently the situation has changed. Kyiv, Chisinau and Tiraspol agreed on the functioning of a railway corridor through Transnistria. The issue was positively resolved at the request of Ukraine - for the transportation of grain. Freight trains have not yet started running along the Transnistrian route,” the publication notes.
The publication’s interlocutor, who took part in negotiations on a new regional grain corridor, on condition of anonymity, called it “a very backup option.”
According to him, everything has been agreed upon, but the corridor will only work if exporting grain via other routes becomes problematic.
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Alexandru Flenchea says that the agreement is beneficial for a number of reasons. Firstly, he believes, if the route is launched, it will increase the load on Moldova’s railways and will allow receiving additional income from the transit of goods through Moldovan territory. In addition, the Moldovan authorities, together with the Ukrainian ones, will exercise customs control on the Transnistrian segment of the border with Ukraine.
“The key issue for Chisinau is the ability to finally launch real customs control, albeit at one checkpoint. This is important economically and politically. Politically, this is an irreversible step in Chisinau’s gradual restoration of border control,” Flenkya said.
He added that Pridnestrovie would also benefit from this.
“It is important for Tiraspol to have political significance in relations with Kiev, which, after the start of Russian aggression, completely ignored Transnistria. And now there is a reason for communication. In Tiraspol they cannot neglect it: they have a vested interest in dialogue with Kiev in order to try to restore legal and not entirely legal trade schemes,” Flenkä said.
Transnistria will help Ukraine and allow Moldovan customs to enter.