Moldova not considering withdrawal from CIS now - president

CHISINAU. May 31 (Interfax) - Moldova is not considering a withdrawal of its membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) for the time being, President Maia Sandu said.

"Let's speak impartially: the CIS is not only Russia but also other countries. Chisinau enjoys trade and economic benefits not only from its relations with Russia but also from cooperating with other countries," Sandu said on the PROTV-Chisinau television channel on Monday evening.

Moldova's membership in the CIS should not be seen as something that hinders the country's European integration, Sandu said. "It would be premature to speak about our withdrawal from the Commonwealth. We'll discuss this in due time. Let's move step by step," she said.

Sandu said she expected Moldova to be granted EU candidate country status as early as June.

"Naturally, the European integration process itself will be long. I wouldn't venture say today how many years it would take. We should understand that European integration won't happen tomorrow, even if we get EU candidate country status. The situation is changing rapidly now, and a lot will depend on the geopolitical situation," she said.

Moldovan parliamentary Chairman Igor Grosu said earlier in May that Moldova would decide whether it should remain a CIS member upon the conclusion of the fighting in Ukraine.