Moldova is moving forward with its formal exit from the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi said on January 19 in an interview with Radio Moldova.

According to Popsoi, the government has begun the process of denouncing three key agreements with the CIS, a step that will officially end Chisinau’s membership in the post-Soviet bloc. “We are in the process of confirming the denunciation of three agreements with the CIS. This process has already begun, the approval process has started,” he explained.

The move comes amid long-standing concerns in Moldova over Russian interference, including attempts to influence the country’s elections. While Moldova has suspended participation in the CIS since 2023, the formal exit had not yet been finalized. The current decision follows the parliamentary victory of pro-European President Maia Sandu’s Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) in October 2025.

Popsoi noted that since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moldova has already denounced 71 agreements signed within the CIS framework, with another 60 agreements currently under review for termination.

The CIS, created to maintain economic and diplomatic ties among former Soviet states, has faced increasing instability in recent years. Relations between Russia and other member countries have weakened, exemplified by Azerbaijan skipping an informal CIS summit following the December 2024 crash of an Azerbaijani passenger plane, which Moscow is believed to have been involved in.