CHISINAU, March 30. /TASS/. The situation in Ukraine is crucial for resolving the Transnistria issue, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in an interview with the Voice of Bessarabia news outlet.

"The geopolitical situation is very complicated at this point. Everything depends on when the war in Ukraine ends. We believe that an opportunity may arise when Ukraine takes its territories back. We are looking forward to this scenario," she said, when asked if Chisinau could not resolve the Transnistria issue on its own. She also stressed that Chisinau called for a peaceful solution based on respect for Moldova’s internationally recognized borders.

Relations between Moldova and the unrecognized Republic of Transnistria cooled after Sandu had been elected president. She made a number of harsh statements against Tiraspol and refused to meet with Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky. Tiraspol, in turn, called for the resumption of the five-plus-two talks that involve Moldova, Transnistria, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Russia and Ukraine, as well as observers from the European Union and the United States. However, the mediators point out that the mechanism is currently ineffective due to the crisis between Moscow and Kiev.