"I hope the relations with Moldova will become warmer. Although they cannot achieve the warmest level as long as Moldova remains in association with the European Union," Rogozin said in an interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.
Rogozin stressed that it would be better for Moldovan government to get back to the economic union with Russia and other states with markets which are traditional for Moldovan goods.
The economic relations between Moscow and Chisinau deteriorated in summer 2014 after the Moldovan parliament ratified the Association Agreement with the European Union. The deal provides for creation of the EU-Moldova free trade area. In addition, Moldova must fully open its market for European goods. In response to this agreement Russia has introduced some temporary restrictive measures on imports from Moldova, which affected Moldovan farmers' interests, who lost the right for duty-free deliveries of their goods to Russia.
Ahead of the victory in November's presidential election, Moldovan President-elect Igor Dodon said that once he becomes president Moldova would hold a referendum on whether the country should withdraw from the 2014 political and trade agreement with the European Union and instead join the Russia-led Eurasian economic community.
