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Sandu Says Moldova Buys No Russian Gas After Decades of Moscow’s “Energy Blackmail”
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Moldova no longer purchases Russian natural gas and is expanding its electricity connections with Europe, RBC-Ukraine reported on November 9, citing President Maia Sandu.
On November 8, Moldova inaugurated the 157-kilometer Vulcănești–Chișinău high-voltage transmission line, connecting the country's southern region with its capital and providing an additional route for electricity imports from Romania and the European energy grid.
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"For decades, Moscow used energy to blackmail us," Sandu wrote on X, adding that Moldova now buys no Russian gas and plans to build two additional power lines connecting the country with Romania.
The new 400-kilovolt line will reduce Moldova's reliance on the Cuciurgan power station in the Russian-backed breakaway region of Transnistria, which previously supplied much of the country's electricity. The infrastructure will also diversify electricity supply routes and reduce the risk of disruptions.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Sandu said the project would protect Moldova from future energy pressure. "No one will be able to blackmail us anymore," she declared.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos described the project as a major step toward ending Moldova's dependence on Russian energy resources.
Moldova also plans to develop the Bălți–Suceava and Strășeni–Gutinaș electricity interconnections with Romania. The latter project, also known in Moldova as the Trump Liberty Line, has secured $130 million in US funding and is intended to further strengthen the country's integration with Europe's electricity market.
Moldova's break from Russian energy has also deepened its coordination with Ukraine, as both countries face similar strains on their power systems ahead of winter.
On October 14, Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal and Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan held talks on a bilateral agreement covering gas transit through a shared pipeline corridor and additional electricity imports for Ukraine.
Although Moldova cannot generate enough power to export directly, electricity from Romania can be transited across Moldovan territory to Ukraine.
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