Moldova’s President Igor Dodon has pointed to the importance of strategic partnership with Russia in the country’s foreign policy.

"Today, Moldova seeks to restore strategic partnership with the Russian Federation. I am certain that our bilateral relations have good prospects for expanding and deepening," the president wrote on Facebook on Saturday on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Moldova and Russia.

"Moldova is determined to pursue a balanced foreign policy based on national interests. However, strategic partnership with Russia will always be a particularly important part of our country’s foreign policy concept. Our fraternal peoples have gone through a lot: there was our common history, common problems and common victories too," Dodon added. He noted that next year Moldova, Russia and other former Soviet republics would jointly celebrate the 75th anniversary "of our common Victory in the Great Patriotic War." The country is also going to celebrate the anniversary of the republic’s liberation this coming August.

Relations between Chisinau and Moscow deteriorated after the coalition of pro-European parties came to power in Moldova in 2009. In 2016, former leader of Moldova’s Party of Socialists Igor Dodon won the presidential election in the country. His main slogans were strengthening nationhood, observing neutrality and restoring strategic partnership with Russia.