President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, "does not exclude a phased entry of her country into the European Union", she said in an interview with Radio Free Europe.

"Of course, we would like to become an EU member as a reintegrated country, and in the next few years, there may be a geopolitical opportunity, as it all depends on what happens in the region, and we are ready to use this geopolitical opportunity."

Sandu emphasized that she considers a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Transnistria to be the only acceptable option.

"On the other hand, if this first scenario does not happen, I believe that we should consider the possibility of Moldova's integration into the EU in two stages. First, the right bank of the Dniester River, then the left bank of the Dniester," she added.

In Tiraspol, the administrative center of Transnistria, there were several explosions in 2022. The Transnistrian authorities blamed Moldova and Ukraine for this. Sandu stated that the destabilization of the region may be in the interest of Russia, and the left and right banks of the Dniester do not have the desire to enter into a conflict.

Transnistria is a separatist region of Moldova that has been effectively out of Moldova's control since 1992. Russia has maintained a presence of around 1,700 troops in Transnistria for over 20 years.