On January 31, the next round of Ukrainian-Moldovan political consultations at the level of Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mykola Tochytskyi and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Ruslan Bolbocean took place in Kyiv. 

The parties discussed regional security issues, consolidating the efforts of Ukraine and Moldova to counter common security challenges.

The interlocutors reaffirmed their mutual support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries. The Ukrainian side expressed its readiness to be further effectively engaged, as the mediator, into the Transdniestrian settlement process in the «5+2» format. Mykola Tochytskyi assured the consistency of Kyiv’s standpoint on the matter - an exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict based on preserving Moldova’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

The parties considered possible reciprocal high-level bilateral visits in 2022, taking into account the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Moldova.

During the consultations, the Deputy Minister and the Secretary of State stressed the urgency of intensifying the activities of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in the interests of economic recovery in both countries in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The parties emphasized the priority of the energy field of bilateral cooperation. Mykola Tochytskyi confirmed Ukraine's interest in continuing to provide the Moldovan side with services both on gas transit and on storing Moldovan gas in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities. They also discussed the prospects for the return of Ukrainian energy companies to the Moldovan electricity supply market.

Mykola Tochytskyi and Ruslan Bolbocean  noted the progress in the implementation of the flagship infrastructure project - the restoration of the shortest route between Kyiv and Chisinau, part of which will be the border bridge over the Dniester on the Ukrainian-Moldovan state border near Yampil-Koseuts.

The parties stressed the prospects for further close cooperation within the Associated Trio of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in order to deepen political association and economic integration with the EU, as well as to promote new opportunities in the Eastern Partnership.