Tensions Between Russia and the West Could Surface in Moldova

The competition between Russia and the West could destabilize Ukraine's small but strategic western neighbor: Moldova. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin is scheduled to travel to the country's breakaway territory of Transdniestria to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Moldova's liberation from Nazi occupation. His visit comes amid local media speculation that Moldovan and Transdniestrian security forces may soon clash. With parliamentary elections set for November, political friction is likely to intensify in Moldova as security threats rise, but a full-scale conflict remains unlikely.