MOSCOW, November 24. /TASS/. The settlement process in Transnistria is in a deadlock due to Chisinau's persistent unwillingness to start negotiations with Tiraspol, Moscow urges to resume the dialogue, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"The current deadlock in the Transnistrian settlement is due to Chisinau's persistent unwillingness to respond positively to Tiraspol's repeated calls to start negotiations on the principles of a comprehensive settlement of the Transnistrian issue. It is obvious that without a change in this approach by the Moldovan side, we cannot expect any progress in the Transnistrian settlement process," the diplomat said in a commentary.

Relations between the two Dniester banks became strained after Maia Sandu was elected Moldovan president. She made a series of tough statements about Transnistria and refused to meet with its president, Vladimir Krasnoselsky. Today, the reason for the stagnation in the negotiations is attributed to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which act as mediators in the 5+2 format (which includes Moldova, Transnistria, the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine, as well as observers from the US and the EU). Tiraspol is also concerned about the militarization of Moldova, which has intensified arms purchases and military interaction with the US, the EU and NATO.