CHISINAU, February 28. /TASS/. Lawmakers gathering for a Transnistrian congress will discuss seeking assistance from Russia, according to a draft resolution sent to legislators ahead of the event.

In the address to the Federation Council and the State Duma, the upper and lower houses of Russia’s parliament, respectively, the delegates will ask for "measures to protect Transnistria amid growing pressure from Moldova," given that more 220,000 Russian nationals reside in the unrecognized breakaway republic, that Russian peacekeeping in the Dniester region has been successful and that Russia has acted as a mediator for talks between Chisinau and Tiraspol.

The document also calls on the UN chief, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the European Parliament, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other organizations to prevent any further escalation between the two capitals and contribute to reviving a full-fledged dialogue between the Dniester banks.

Today’s congress initiated by Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky will be attended by more than 600 lawmakers, municipal and rural officials as well as legislators who established Transnistria in 1990.

Relations between the Dniester banks chilled dramatically after Maia Sandu was elected Moldovan President in 2020. She made several harsh statements in respect to Tiraspol and said that unlike the country’s previous leaders, she was not going to meet with Krasnoselsky. Tensions escalated earlier this year after Chisinau decided to impose fees on Transnistrian imports via Moldova.