Foreign relations of Moldova

After achieving independence from the Soviet Union, the Republic of Moldova established relations with other European countries. A course for European Union integration and neutrality define the country's foreign policy guidelines.

In 1995, the country became the first post-Soviet state admitted to the Council of Europe. In addition to its participation in NATO's Partnership for Peace program, Moldova is a member state of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Francophonie and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

In 2005, Moldova and EU established an action plan that sought to improve the collaboration between the two neighboring structures. After the Transnistria War, Moldova sought a peaceful resolution to the Transnistria conflict by working with Romania, Ukraine, and Russia, calling for international mediation, and cooperating with the OSCE and UN fact-finding and observer missions.

Overview

List of countries which Moldova maintains diplomatic relations with:

File:Diplomatic relations of Moldova.svg
#	Country	Date
1	Romania	Template:Dts
2	Hungary	Template:Dts
3	United Kingdom	Template:Dts
4	Denmark	Template:Dts
5	China	Template:Dts
6	Mongolia	Template:Dts
7	North Korea	Template:Dts
8	South Korea	Template:Dts
9	Spain	Template:Dts
10	Turkey	Template:Dts
11	Mexico	Template:Dts
12	Bulgaria	Template:Dts
13	Egypt	Template:Dts
14	United States	Template:Dts
15	Canada	Template:Dts
16	Cyprus	Template:Dts
17	Finland	Template:Dts
18	Italy	Template:Dts
19	Ukraine	Template:Dts
20	Belgium	Template:Dts
21	France	Template:Dts
22	Japan	Template:Dts
23	Cuba	Template:Dts
24	India	Template:Dts
25	Austria	Template:Dts
26	Greece	Template:Dts
27	Philippines	Template:Dts
28	Australia	Template:Dts
29	Russia	Template:Dts
30	Guinea	Template:Dts
31	Germany	Template:Dts
32	Iran	Template:Dts
—	Holy See	Template:Dts
33	Azerbaijan	Template:Dts
34	Czech Republic	Template:Dts
35	Norway	Template:Dts
36	Vietnam	Template:Dts
37	Burundi	Template:Dts
38	Sweden	Template:Dts
39	South Africa	Template:Dts
40	Israel	Template:Dts
41	Luxembourg	Template:Dts
42	Template:Country data Georgia	Template:Dts
43	Oman	Template:Dts
44	Lithuania	Template:Dts
45	Netherlands	Template:Dts
46	Nigeria	Template:Dts
47	Poland	Template:Dts
48	Armenia	Template:Dts
49	Croatia	Template:Dts
50	Thailand	Template:Dts
51	Ghana	Template:Dts
52	Latvia	Template:Dts
53	Switzerland	Template:Dts
54	New Zealand	Template:Dts
55	Kazakhstan	Template:Dts
56	Turkmenistan	Template:Dts
57	Morocco	Template:Dts
58	Kyrgyzstan	Template:Dts
59	Estonia	Template:Dts
60	Belarus	Template:Dts
61	Sri Lanka	Template:Dts
62	Zimbabwe	Template:Dts
63	Burkina Faso	Template:Dts
64	Pakistan	Template:Dts
65	Albania	Template:Dts
66	Kuwait	Template:Dts
67	Singapore	Template:Dts
68	Tajikistan	Template:Dts
69	Portugal	Template:Dts
70	Indonesia	Template:Dts
71	Panama	Template:Dts
72	Slovakia	Template:Dts
73	Argentina	Template:Dts
74	Malaysia	Template:Dts
75	Guatemala	Template:Dts
76	Chile	Template:Dts
77	Sudan	Template:Dts
78	Syria	Template:Dts
79	Madagascar	Template:Dts
80	Nepal	Template:Dts
81	Brazil	Template:Dts
82	Bangladesh	Template:Dts
83	Zambia	Template:Dts
84	Slovenia	Template:Dts
85	Nicaragua	Template:Dts
86	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Template:Dts
87	Algeria	Template:Dts
88	Lebanon	Template:Dts
89	Iceland	Template:Dts
90	Uzbekistan	Template:Dts
91	Angola	Template:Dts
92	Afghanistan	Template:Dts
93	Libya	Template:Dts
94	Template:Country data North Macedonia	Template:Dts
95	Yemen	Template:Dts
96	Cambodia	Template:Dts
97	Serbia	Template:Dts
98	Peru	Template:Dts
99	United Arab Emirates	Template:Dts
100	Mozambique	Template:Dts
101	Venezuela	Template:Dts
102	Uruguay	Template:Dts
103	Malta	Template:Dts
104	Bolivia	Template:Dts
105	Jamaica	Template:Dts
106	Saudi Arabia	Template:Dts
107	Andorra	Template:Dts
108	Laos	Template:Dts
109	Qatar	Template:Dts
110	Jordan	Template:Dts
111	Colombia	Template:Dts
112	Ireland	Template:Dts
113	Costa Rica	Template:Dts
—	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	Template:Dts
114	Mauritius	Template:Dts
115	Liechtenstein	Template:Dts
116	Bahrain	Template:Dts
117	Cape Verde	Template:Dts
118	Mali	Template:Dts
119	Tunisia	Template:Dts
120	San Marino	Template:Dts
121	Brunei	Template:Dts
122	Montenegro	Template:Dts
123	Fiji	Template:Dts
124	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Template:Dts
125	Paraguay	Template:Dts
126	Monaco	Template:Dts
127	Ecuador	Template:Dts
128	Antigua and Barbuda	Template:Dts
129	Solomon Islands	Template:Dts
130	Tuvalu	Template:Dts
131	Maldives	Template:Dts
132	Mauritania	Template:Dts
133	Dominica	Template:Dts
134	Haiti	Template:Dts
135	Gambia	Template:Dts
136	Samoa	Template:Dts
137	Eswatini	Template:Dts
138	Suriname	Template:Dts
139	Ethiopia	Template:Dts
140	Guyana	Template:Dts
141	El Salvador	Template:Dts
142	Saint Kitts and Nevis	Template:Dts
143	Benin	Template:Dts
144	Cameroon	Template:Dts
145	Grenada	Template:Dts
146	Bahamas	Template:Dts
147	Barbados	Template:Dts
148	Djibouti	Template:Dts
149	Uganda	Template:Dts
150	Saint Lucia	Template:Dts
151	Dominican Republic	Template:Dts
152	Senegal	Template:Dts
153	Palau	Template:Dts
154	Kenya	Template:Dts
155	Belize	Template:Dts
156	Sierra Leone	Template:Dts
157	Trinidad and Tobago	Template:Dts
158	Rwanda	Template:Dts
159	Kiribati	Template:Dts
160	Honduras	Template:Dts
161	Ivory Coast	Template:Dts

Relations with the European Union

Moldova aspires to join the European Union and is implementing its first three-year Action Plan within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) of the EU.

As regards to its energy policy, Moldova was an observer to the treaty establishing Energy Community from the outset (2006). Following its interest in full membership, the European Commission was mandated to carry out negotiations with Moldova in 2007. In December 2009, the Energy Community Ministerial Council decided on the accession, but made it conditional to amendment of Moldova's gas law. Moldova joined the Energy Community as a full-fledged member in March 2010.

Relations with NATO

File:Stamp of Moldova 302.gif

Wörner and Snegur signing PfP on 16 March 1994

NATO relations with Moldova date back to 1992, when the country joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Moldova works alongside NATO allies and partner countries in a wide range of areas through the Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.

Relations with post-Soviet states

The Moldovan Parliament approved the country's membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States and the CIS charter on economic union in April 1994. Moldova however has never participated in any military aspects of CIS, citing its neutral status.

In 1998, Moldova contributed to the founding of GUAM, a regional cooperation agreement made up of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova. Although the agreement initially included a declaration of mutual defense, Moldova has since declared its disinterest in participating in any GUAM-based mutual defense initiative.

Russia continues to maintain a military presence in the Transnistrian region of Moldova, despite previous agreements with Moldova and within OSCE and CAF to withdraw its troops and ammunition.

Moldova was granted Observer Status in the Russian-led Eurasian Union in April 2017.

Relations with Transnistria

The territory of Moldova includes the separatist Transnistria region. Transnistria had a particularly large non-Moldovan population (about 60%) and broke away from Moldova less than a year after Moldova became independent at the fall of the Soviet Union. The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic controls main part of this region, and also the city of Bender and its surrounding localities on the west bank. The international diplomatic situation with respect to the question of Transnistria determines and is determined by Moldova's relations with Russia. Russia, Ukraine, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, EU, and United States are involved at different degrees in the conflict resolution.

Relations with the United Kingdom

On 20 November 2024, Moldova and the United Kingdom signed a Defence and Security Partnership.

Bilateral relations

Multilateral

Organization	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Template:Country data Council of Europe		Moldova joined the Council of Europe as a full member on 13 July 1995.
European Union		See Moldova–European Union relations
Template:Country data NATO		See Moldova–NATO relations

Americas

Country	Formal relations began	Notes
Chile	12 May 1993	Chile is accredited to Moldova from it embassy in Bucharest, Romania. Moldova does not have an accreditation to Chile.
Guatemala	6 April 1993	Guatemala is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Moscow, Russia. Moldova does not have an accreditation to Guatemala.
Mexico	14 January 1992	Mexico is accredited in Moldova from its embassy in Bucharest, Romania and maintains an honorary consulate in Chișinău. Moldova is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.
United States	18 February 1992	See Moldova–United States relations The United States recognized the independence of Moldova on 25 December 1991, and opened an embassy in its capital, Chișinău, in March 1992. A trade agreement providing reciprocal most-favored-nation tariff treatment became effective in July 1992. An Overseas Private Investment Corporation agreement, which encourages U.S. private investment by providing direct loans and loan guarantees, was signed in June 1992. A bilateral investment treaty was signed in April 1993. A generalized system of preferences status was granted in August 1995, and some Eximbank coverage became available in November 1995. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made a visit to Moldova in December 2013 to support the former Soviet republic's pro-Western moves in the face of Russian pressure. The United States remains committed to the 5+2 format as a means to resolving the Transnistria conflict. The United States supports a comprehensive settlement that affirms Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while providing a special status for Transnistria. Moldova has an embassy in Washington, D.C.. United States has an embassy in Chișinău. See also: Embassy of the United States to Moldova and Embassy of Moldova, Washington, D.C.

Asia

Country	Formal relations began	Notes
China	30 January 1992	See China–Moldova relations China has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova has an embassy in Beijing.
India	20 March 1993	See India–Moldova relations India is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Bucharest, Romania Moldova is accredited to India through its embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Israel	22 June 1992	See Israel–Moldova relations Israel is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. Moldova has an embassy in Tel Aviv.
Kazakhstan	16 September 1992	Moldova has an embassy in Astana. Kazakhstan has a consulate-general in Chișinău.
Turkey	3 February 1992	See Moldova–Turkey relations Moldova has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in Chișinău. Both countries are full members of BSEC. Speaking in Comrat in August 2018 when referencing the country's allies, President Igor Dodon said "we have friends who are close to Gagauzia, and I believe to Moldova, as well, they are Russia and Turkey."

Europe

Country	Formal relations began	Notes
Albania	23 December 1992	See Albania–Moldova relations
Austria	25 March 1992	See Austria–Moldova relations Austria has an embassy Chișinău. Moldova has an embassy in Vienna. See also: Embassy of Austria, Chișinău
Belarus	19 November 1992	See Belarus–Moldova relations Diplomatic relations between Belarus and Moldova were established on 19 November 1992. That same year, an agreement on friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries was signed. Belarus has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova has an embassy in Minsk. The first official Moldovan visit to Minsk was by Petru Lucinschi in June 2000. Nicolae Timofti later visited in October 2013, July 2015 and October 2016, and was followed in July 2017 by Igor Dodon. List of Ambassadors of Moldova in Belarus: Nicolae Dudău (1998-2001), Gheorghe Hioară (2010-2017), Victor Sorocean (2017–Present)
Bulgaria	5 February 1992	Bulgaria recognized Moldova on 28 December 1991. Since 1992, Bulgaria has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova has embassy in Sofia. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Cyprus	21 February 1992	See Cyprus–Moldova relations
Czech Republic	1 June 1992	See Czech Republic–Moldova relations Czech Republic has an embassy in Chișinău Moldova has an embassy in Prague.
Denmark	20 January 1992	See Denmark–Moldova relations Denmark has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova is accredited to Denmark from its embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Estonia	10 November 1992	See Estonia–Moldova relations Estonia has an embassy office in Chișinău. Moldova has an embassy in Tallinn. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. Estonia is an EU member and Moldova is an EU candidate.
Finland	26 February 1992	See Finland–Moldova relations Finland is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Bucharest, Romania. Moldova is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden.
Template:Country data Georgia	25 June 1992	See Georgia–Moldova relations Until 1991, both countries were part of the USSR and before 1918 part of the Russian empire. Georgia has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova is accredited to Georgia from its embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan. Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Moldova
Germany	30 April 1992	See Germany–Moldova relations Germany has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova has an embassy in Berlin and a consulate-general in Frankfurt.
Greece	Template:Dts	See Greece–Moldova relations Diplomatic relations between Greece and Moldova were established 27 March 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union Greece is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. Moldova has an embassy in Athens.
Italy	21 February 1992	See Italy–Moldova relations Italy has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova has an embassy in Rome and a consulate-general in Milan. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe.
Latvia	1 September 1992	Latvia has an embassy in Chișinău. Moldova has an embassy in Riga.
Netherlands	10 July 1993	See Moldova–Netherlands relations Moldova has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy office in Chișinău. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe.
Template:Country data North Macedonia	27 January 1995	See Moldova–North Macedonia relations
Poland	14 July 1992	See Moldova–Poland relations Moldova has an embassy in Warsaw. Poland has an embassy in Chișinău. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe.
Portugal	10 February 1993	See Moldova–Portugal relations Moldova has an embassy in Lisbon. Portugal is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Bucharest, Romania.
Romania	27 August 1991	See Moldova–Romania relations Moldova's relations with its western neighbour, Romania, have been stressed since 1994. Today's Moldova (without Transnistria) and parts of the old Bassarabia Governorate currently in Ukraine, were part of Romania during the interwar period (1918–40). Linguists generally agree that the Moldovan language is in fact identical with Romanian. However, Moldovans have been ambivalent about whether they consider themselves Romanians or Moldovans. Early signs that Romania and Moldova might unite after both countries achieved emancipation from communist rule quickly faded. Romania remains interested in Moldovan affairs, especially that country's civil conflict with the breakaway republic of Transnistria. However, the two countries have been unable to reach agreement on a basic bilateral treaty; Romania is insistent (against determined Moldovan resistance) that such a treaty would have to refer to Romania and Moldova's 'special relationship'. Beginning in 1994, the two countries enjoyed a visa-free arrangement that ended on 1 January 2007, with Romania's entry into the European Union. This prompted many Moldovan citizens to apply for Romanian citizenship. Moldova has an embassy in Bucharest and a consulate-general in Iași. . Romania has an embassy in Chișinău and consulates-general in Bălți and Cahul.
Russia	6 April 1992	See Moldova–Russia relations Relations between Moldova and Russia deteriorated in November 2003 over a Russian proposal for the solution of the Transnistria conflict, which Moldovan authorities refused to accept. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Moldova adopted a more cautious and critical stance toward Russia, condemning the aggression and aligning more closely with the European Union. Moldova has an embassy in Moscow. Russia has an embassy in Chișinău.
Serbia	15 March 1995	See Moldova–Serbia relations Moldova is accredited to Serbia from its embassy in Bucharest, Romania. Serbia is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Bucharest, Romania. Moldova strongly supports Serbia's stance on Kosovo.
Slovenia	27 October 1993	See Moldova–Slovenia relations Moldova is accredited to Slovenia from its embassy in Budapest, Hungary. Slovenia is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Francophonie.
Spain	31 January 1992	See Moldova–Spain relations Moldova has an embassy in Madrid. Spain is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Bucharest, Romania.
Sweden	12 June 1992	See Moldova–Sweden relations Moldova has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Chișinău
Switzerland	2 September 1992	See Moldova–Switzerland relations Moldova has an embassy in Geneva. Switzerland is accredited to Moldova from its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Ukraine	10 March 1992	See Moldova–Ukraine relations Moldova has an embassy in Kyiv and a consulate-general in Odesa. Ukraine has an embassy in Chișinău and a consulate in Bălți.
United Kingdom	17 January 1992	See Moldova–United Kingdom relations File:The Foreign Secretary meets with President Maia.jpg Foreign Secretary James Cleverly with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Church House, May 2023. Moldova established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 17 January 1992. Moldova maintains an embassy in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to Moldova through its embassy in Chişinău. Both countries share common membership of the Council of Europe, the International Criminal Court, the OSCE, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Development Partnership, a Double Taxation Convention, and a Strategic Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Moldova
• List of diplomatic missions of Moldova
• List of Ambassadors to Moldova

Gallery

• Moldovan stamp commemorating membership in the United Nations
  Moldovan stamp commemorating membership in the United Nations
• Moldovan stamp commemorating membership in the OSCE
  Moldovan stamp commemorating membership in the OSCE

External links

• Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Template:Webarchive

Further reading

• Baltag, Dorina. "EU external representation post-Lisbon: the performance of EU diplomacy in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine." The Hague Journal of Diplomacy 13.1 (2018): 75-96. online
• Baltag, Dorina. "Practice and performance: EU diplomacy in Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus after the inauguration of the European External Action Service, 2010–2015" (Diss. Loughborough University, 2018.) online
• Cozma, Artur. "The Diplomacy of the Republic of Moldova during 1944-2001." (2007). online Template:Webarchive
• Del Medico, Nicola. "A Black Knight in the Eastern Neighbourhood? Russia and EU Democracy Promotion in Armenia and Moldova." (EU Diplomacy Paper No. 7) (2014). online
• Ejova, Cristina, and Anastasia Eșanu. "Public diplomacy of the European Union and its reflection in the Republic of Moldova." Moldoscopie 92.1 (2021): 43-53. online
• Löwenhardt, John. "The OSCE, Moldova and Russian diplomacy in 2003." Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics 20.4 (2004): 103-112.