The Ukrainian authorities consider the 5+2 format in relation to the Transnistrian settlement process unviable.

Volodymyr Zelensky said that after the victory of Ukraine in the war, a new format will be created to resolve the situation with the occupied territory of Moldova.

“Do you see “life” in the 5+2 project? Do you see the result? Why talk about a project that is inanimate? I see no point in talking about it,” said the President of Ukraine.

The 5+2 format includes representatives of the parties, mediators, and observers in the negotiation process – Moldova, the so-called “PMR,” the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the European Union, and the United States.

The purpose of the negotiations in the 5+2 format is to develop the parameters of a comprehensive settlement based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders, with a special status for Transnistria within the framework of Moldova.

After the statement of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers in December 2016, the negotiation process was based on an approach focused on achieving concrete results.

According to the President of Ukraine, a fundamentally new format will be created “subsequently” with the active participation of Ukraine.

“It will be necessary to speak from the position of a strong state, a victorious state, which reclaimed its land… I do not know if other partners will need help – probably in this situation, Romania and our close partners can, maybe Moldova will want to connect some states. But for sure, Ukraine will play one of the main roles, because we have a border,” Zelensky said.

Asked what would happen to Russian troops in Transnistria, he said: “They will want to live. They leave.”

“Ukraine can only help Moldova if there is a request from the senior leadership of Moldova. And then Ukraine will definitely respond,” Zelensky said, adding that “there was no official request.”

Recall that in part of the occupied territory of Moldova, there are now illegal armed groups of the so-called “PMR,” which are backed by Russia.

Currently, the Russian Federation holds an unknown number of soldiers in Transnistria. This Russian military presence dates back to 1992, when the Soviet 14th Guards Army intervened in the war in Transnistria.