Moldova between Russia and the West: Internal Divisions behind the Commitment to European Integration
The traditional characterisation of Moldova as a bridge between two civilisations, Russian Orthodox and the West, seems to have become outdated.
Moldova is an example of a society divided between different geopolitical preferences and the conflict over Transnistria continues to reinforce the perception of uncertainty about the country’s future. It is quite natural that the geopolitical stand-off between Russia and the West—which worsened after the start of the conflict in Ukraine and the war in Donbass and evolved into a broad-based confrontation—has become almost the main item on Moldova’s domestic and foreign policy agenda.
Ernest Vardanean is an independent analyst. He is a lecturer at Moldova State University and a columnist in the Romanian office of Radio Free Europe.
This page contains only a summary of our work. If you would like to have access to all the information from our research on the subject, you can download the full version in PDF format.
Moldova between Russia and the West: Internal Divisions behind the Commitment to European Integration
The Plight of Russia’s Air Power in the Ukraine War: Drone-Driven Innovations and Transformation of Traditional Air Force
Since the start of the Ukraine War, Russian strategic guidelines on the application of air power—seen as the decisive instrument for achieving success in modern wars—have proven to be outdated, irrelevant and even self-defeating.
China in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan: From Economic Presence to a New Security Role
Over the past three decades, China’s influence in Central Asia has steadily expanded, but in the last three to five years this process has entered a markedly accelerated phase. Following 2022, Beijing effectively revised both its strategy and its operational approach toward the region.
Between Russia and Europe, between War and Peace: What is at Stake in Armenia’s Upcoming Elections?
Armenia’s June 7, 2026, parliamentary election is shaping up less as a routine vote than as a referendum on Nikol Pashinyan’s post-2020 course, which includes peace with neighbors, reduced dependence on Russia, and a more explicit European orientation. The ruling Civil Contract party is still the frontrunner, but its position is fragile, as the campaign is being fought in a highly polarized environment shaped by the trauma of defeat in the war against Azerbaijan, the displacement of Karabakh Armenians, and the massive election interference from Russia.
Russia, the Palestinians and Gaza: Adjustments after October 7th
The Soviet Union (USSR), and subsequently the Russian Federation as its internationally recognized legal successor, has consistently sought to play a visible role in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.