OSCE Special Representative Visits Moldova for the Settlement Process of the Transnistrian Conflict
The OSCE Chairmanship's Special Representative for the Transnistria Conflict, Ambassador Thomas Lenk, has made his first official visit to the Republic of Moldova. The visit aimed to assess the current status of the Transnistria conflict resolution process and to promote dialog and confidence-building measures between the parties to the conflict.
Transnistria is an internationally unrecognized de facto regime in Eastern Europe that is supported exclusively by Russia. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Clay Gilliland / CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
In the Moldovan capital Chisinau, Ambassador Lenk met high-ranking government representatives, including Prime Minister Dorin Recean, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian, and Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov. These talks were aimed at understanding the Moldovan government's position on the ongoing negotiations and discussing possible steps to bring the two sides closer together.
In addition, the OSCE Special Representative met with representatives of the diplomatic community who are committed to finding a solution to the Transnistrian conflict. The OSCE has been trying for years to find a viable solution to the frozen conflict, which has existed since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Meeting with Transnistrian representatives in Tiraspol
After the talks in Chisinau, Ambassador Lenk traveled on to Tiraspol, the de facto capital of Transnistria. There he met the Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselski and the chief negotiator Vitaly Ignatiev. The talks focused on the current status of the conflict resolution process and possible measures to solve key problems, including economic cooperation and security issues.
Lenk also accompanied the head of the OSCE mission in Moldova, Ambassador Kelly Keiderling, on a visit to the security zone to gain her impression of the situation on the ground. The region along the Dniester/Nistru River remains one of the most sensitive areas of geopolitical tension in Eastern Europe.
OSCE calls for sustainable solutions
Ambassador Lenk emphasized the OSCE's determination to support dialogue between the parties to the conflict and to achieve concrete progress in the resolution process. “It is crucial to find practical solutions that improve the lives of people on both sides of the river and at the same time pave the way for political negotiations,” Lenk explained at the end of his visit.
He also emphasized the need for both sides to agree on confidence-building measures to pave the way for a sustainable solution to the conflict. Despite many rounds of negotiations over the past few years, no final agreement has yet been reached on the status of Transnistria.
The OSCE Special Representative's visit took place against the backdrop of a tense energy crisis in Transnistria. Since January 1, 2025, Russia has cut off gas supplies to the breakaway region, which has led to considerable supply bottlenecks. As a result, the European Union provided 30 million euros in emergency aid to supply Transnistria with gas from Western sources.
This crisis highlights the deep rifts between Transnistria and the Republic of Moldova and could have long-term implications for the political stability of the region. While Chisinau is increasingly receiving Western support, the political leadership in Tiraspol remains closely tied to Russia. These geopolitical tensions make the negotiations even more difficult.
Importance of the OSCE for the negotiations
The OSCE plays a central role in mediating between the parties to the conflict and promoting measures to contribute to a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the Transnistrian conflict. The “5+2” negotiations, in which Moldova, Transnistria, Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE participate as main actors and the EU and the USA as observers, are the most important diplomatic formats for resolving the conflict.
Although the conflict has been frozen for decades, the situation remains fragile. The Russian war against Ukraine in particular has changed the geopolitical situation in the region and could bring new dynamics to the negotiations. Moldova is striving for closer ties with the European Union, while Transnistria continues to assert its independence from Chisinau.
Who is Thomas Lenk
Ambassador Thomas Lenk is the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship for the Transnistria Conflict Resolution Process. He joined the German Foreign Service in 1994 and has since held various positions, including assignments in Kigali, Kyiv, Tokyo, and Vienna with the OSCE. He was also a political advisor to the EU Special Representative for Central Asia (2009-2010) and the OSCE Special Representative in the Trilateral Contact Group in Kyiv and Minsk (2014-2015). At the German Federal Foreign Office, he dealt with European security and defense policy, parliamentary affairs, and the post-Soviet states. During the German OSCE Chairmanship in 2016, he headed the team for regional issues. In 2017, he became Head of the Economic Department at the German Embassy in Paris. Since 2020, he has worked at the Federal Foreign Office as Director for Central Europe and later as Director for Ukraine, Moldova, and Black Sea Cooperation before assuming his current position.
Ambassador Thomas Lenk's visit represents an important step towards getting the stagnating negotiation process back on track. Nevertheless, the path to a final solution to the Transnistrian conflict remains challenging. The coming months will show whether the OSCE and the actors involved can make progress towards a peaceful solution.