Worries are mounting over the possibility of Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, making moves to claim more land in Europe, especially after the invasion of Ukraine in the past.
Many people are guessing that the pro-Russian area of Transnistria in eastern Moldova might ask to become a part of Russia.
It is thought that he might use a speech to the Russian government on February 29 to give approval for the annexation.
Gennady Chorba, an opponent in Moldova, said that lawmakers will meet in Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria, to ask Russia to take the territory into the Russian Federation.
He said that this would let Putin attack Moldova, including Transnistria, ‘for any reason’, and could use it as a base for attacks on the Ukrainian port Odesa, which is seen as a much more important target.
Moldovan officials said Russia is spreading lies to cause trouble in the area.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that a vote to join Russia would help Russia’s plans to take over the country, which wants to become part of the EU and NATO.
The ISW warned that the pro-Russian area of Transnistria might decide to have a vote or plan to join Russia at a meeting on February 28.
The reason for making this call would be to say that Russia needs to protect its citizens and people who are similar to them in Transnistria from dangers from Moldova or NATO, or both.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, might say that Russia is taking over Transnistria when he speaks to the Russian government on February 29, but it probably won’t happen.
Putin will probably support whatever the Transnistrian Congress of Deputies does and give his thoughts on the situation.
With help from Russia, a piece of land between the Dniester River and the Ukrainian border separated from Moldova in 1990.
In September 2006, there was a vote for independence that Moldova and other countries didn’t agree with. It didn’t change anything, but it showed how Russia kept supporting the government.
Transnistria is all set to join Russia and Putin has 2,000 soldiers there to keep peace.
Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said that Russia will not abandon its citizens in Transnistria if they are in trouble.
Last year, Moldova’s President Maia Sandu said that she believed Russia was plotting to overthrow the government in her country.