CHISINAU, August 13. /TASS/. The leader of Moldova’s Party of Socialists, former president Igor Dodon told a news briefing on Friday he was prepared to help the country’s leadership establish strategic partnership with Russia.

On Wednesday, the deputy chief of Russia’s presidential staff, Dmitry Kozak, held talks with Moldova’s President Maia Sandu and met with the leaders of the opposition block of the Communists and Socialists.

"Russia is Moldova’s strategic partner, but regrettably we have not seen this either in the government’s program or the news releases by the institutions that held a meeting with Dmitry Kozak. We will go ahead with the dialogue with Russia, and I am prepared to provide assistance to the government in all respects that concern Moldovan-Russian relations," Dodon said.

He stressed that the Moldova’s authorities must urgently address three issues in relations with Russia. One is an agreement on the social guarantees for the hundreds of thousands of Moldovan citizens who are employed in Russia. Another is the prolongation of the preferential rules of Moldova’s export to the Russian market, which expired on March 31. Also, Moldova’s former leader called for entering into negotiations as soon as possible on a new gas supply contract, because the previous one will expire on October 1.