Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi has said that the presence of Russian troops on the territory of the republic is a violation of Moldova's neutrality.

"There is an absurd situation when Russia is the main proponent of Moldova's neutrality, being the only country that violates this neutrality. And this is despite the obvious position of Chisinau throughout this period. We are seeking the withdrawal of Russian troops in accordance with the international obligations of the Russian Federation," Popsoi stressed on TVR Moldova on Wednesday evening.

Answering the question of what he would say to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the event of a bilateral meeting, he noted that first of all he would say: "It would be good if the Russian Federation fulfilled the commitments undertaken at the Istanbul summit in 1999 on the withdrawal of troops and ammunition from the constitutional territory of the Republic of Moldova."

Popsoi said that, given the situation in Ukraine, normalization of relations between Moldova and Russia is impossible "in the near future." Also, in his opinion, it is impossible to revive the "5+2" format for the Transdniestrian settlement, where Russia plays the role of a mediator.