The key facts
- Shoigu said that in Moldova and Ukraine 'energy prices are European, but life is far from European'
- The day before, Sandu announced Moldova's rejection of Russian gas purchases and the launch of the Vulcanesti — Chisinau power line
- In October, Prime Minister Tofan reported trial gas purchases in Ukraine at a price roughly €10 per 1 MWh above the exchange price
Shoigu's statement on the sidelines of the CIS meeting
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, speaking to the press after the 14th annual meeting of the secretaries of security councils of CIS states, commented on the situation with energy prices in a number of countries. According to him, 'in many countries energy prices are European, but life is far from European,' citing Moldova and Ukraine as examples. He addressed a separate remark to Chisinau: 'Speaking of Moldova — while trying on European clothes, it would be a good idea to think about one's own underwear.' This was reported by Life.ru and Gazeta.Ru citing the press availability; Gazeta.Ru notes that the quote is attributed to TASS.
The statement came against the backdrop of Chisinau's energy pivot
Shoigu's words coincided with energy changes in Moldova. The day before, as Life.ru reports, President Maia Sandu statedthat the republic no longer purchases Russian gas, and announced the launch of the Vulcanesti — Chisinau power transmission line, which connected Moldova to Romania's power grid.
Trial gas purchases in Ukraine
The context of the statement is supplemented by a Gazeta.Ru report on Chisinau's earlier steps: in October, Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said that the republic had made trial gas purchases in Ukraine without naming the deal amount. According to him, the price differs from the exchange price by approximately €10 per 1 MWh, and after the trial purchases Moldova plans to negotiate lower prices than on the European market. Earlier, Tofan also spoke of plans to visit Kyiv to discuss supplies, noting that Ukraine has 'surplus gas' and that importing from it may be cheaper for logistical reasons.
What is known and what remains unclear
The publications document two parallel processes: the Russian Security Council secretary's harsh assessment of the situation in Moldova and Chisinau's actual energy pivot — abandoning Russian purchases, trial purchases in Ukraine, and connection to Romania's power grid. The exact amount of the deal with Ukraine and the final terms of future supplies are not disclosed in the publications; Shoigu's statements are evaluative in nature and are not accompanied by any cited data on prices or living standards.
