U.S. Policy in Moldova: Balancing the Threat of Russian Influence and U.S. Interests

In recent months, disputes between Russia and its neighbors have accelerated to levels nearing those seen during the Cold War. The effects of globalization and Western economic integration have initiated democratic development in many former Soviet states, pulling those nations further from Russia’s sphere of influence. Once a global superpower, Russia has scrambled to retain its regional influence and preserve what remains of its former authority. Former Soviet states and neighbors that have not already integrated with the West remain especially vulnerable to Russian influence. Moldova is among those nations straddling the line between Western integration and remaining in Russia’s economic and political sphere. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Moldova has encountered Russian resistance when exercising its democratic right to pursue new opportunities. What is additionally unique about Moldova is the existence of a frozen conflict zone: Transnistria.