Moldova announced it would fully withdraw from the CIS following the EU’s decision to start accession negotiations. Detachment from Moscow began after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Moldova plans to withdraw from all agreements – totaling around 330 – signed within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) by the end of 2024.

Doina Gherman, a Moldovan lawmaker from the Action and Solidarity Party, said in a TV interview that Moldova is in its final stage of withdrawal, although it might not be marked with a formal declaration.

The CIS is a regional intergovernmental organization consisting of member states from the former Soviet Union formed in 1991 upon its dissolution. It advocates cooperation in economic, political and military affairs among some of the post-Soviet nations, which differs from the EU’s more structured governance model.

Moldova’s withdrawal from the Russian-led bloc, of which it has been a member since its independence in 1991, would be a significant step for Moldova in severing its ties to Russia.