European Commission urges Transnistria to accept Moldova's aid
Illustrative photo: European Commission called on Transnistria to accept aid from Moldova (Getty Images)
The European Commission has stated that the authorities of the so-called Transnistria must stop restricting proposals for alternative gas supplies following the suspension of deliveries by Gazprom, Politico reports.
Politico writes that the government of Moldova offered Transnistria both energy and humanitarian assistance; however, the local authorities refused it.
"We encourage Tiraspol to cooperate with Chișinău to address the situation in the interests of the local population," said Anita Hipper, a spokeswoman for the European Commission for Foreign Affairs.
The Prime Minister of Moldova, Dorin Recean, accused Russia of creating confrontation and stated that Moscow is provoking an energy and security crisis in the region.
"They (the Russians - ed.) halted the gas supply to the region that they control, including through the fact that they have illegally stationed military troops there and they do not allow anyone to help the region," he said, adding that the energy crisis could ultimately lead to the end of the self-proclaimed independence of Transnistria.
What happened in Transnistria
At the beginning of 2025, Ukraine officially halted the transit of Russian natural gas. This decision also meant the cessation of gas supplies to several European Union member states and the unrecognized Transnistria.
The situation was further complicated by Moldova's refusal to meet Russia's conditions for ensuring gas supplies to Transnistria via alternative routes through the Balkan region. In response, on December 28, 2024, Russia’s Gazprom officially announced that it would cease gas supplies to Transnistria starting January 2025.
As a result, the self-proclaimed Transnistria also suspended heating and hot water supply to residential buildings. Currently, gas is used only for cooking, particularly in apartment buildings.
In addition, Transnistria recently experienced rolling blackouts as energy consumption levels exceeded generation capacity.
