Moldovan President Igor Dodon has spoken in favor of restoring relations with Russia, and proposed signing a joint declaration on strategic partnership, he said on Wednesday, addressing State Duma MPs.

"To make Moldovan-Russian strategic partnership concrete, I think that it makes sense to draft and sign a joint declaration on strategic partnership and create a joint committee at a high political level, designed for a comprehensive discussion of strategic issues," the Moldovan President stated.

He noted that today’s dialogue between the two countries is largely built on the presidential level. Dodon also said that the Moldovan Parliament and government, controlled by the pro-European Democratic Party, ignore such contacts. "Most deputies of the current Moldovan Parliament pose artificial obstacles for the development of existing potential. Unfortunately, not everyone in Chisinau has realized that they cannot make national interests dependent upon the false short-term ideological and narrow-party interests," the Moldovan leader emphasized.

Furthermore, he announced willingness to pursue a harmonious and balanced foreign policy. The Moldovan President believes that Chisinau should not be involved in geopolitical confrontation between the East and the West.

Dodon won both the nationwide presidential election on November 13, 2016 and the parliamentary election of the head of state, expressed confidence that Russian-Moldovan ties will change after the parliamentary election, scheduled for February 24, 2019.