BUCHAREST, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Thursday believed that the bilateral relations with Russia are getting worse, both because of the conflict in Ukraine and the irreconcilable interests of the two countries with respect to the Republic of Moldova.
Ponta told local media that he saw no sign of improvement of the relations of Romania with Russia.
"I see them worsening," he stressed, specifying that "Romania will keep its position that same as Poland and the Baltic countries, a firm position as to what the Russian Federation is doing."
The prime minister also underscored that the interests of Romania and that of Russia in Moldova are "totally opposite" and "irreconcilable," as Romania remains committed to the territorial integrity of Moldova, while Russia supports the "separatists" in Transdniester, a mainly Russian-speaking region which split away from Moldova in 1990.
"We want Moldova to go on the pro-European route and Russia is against it," continued Ponta in an interview with Jurnalul National daily online, adding that "from the viewpoint of the relations with Russia, it will only be worse on the short- and medium-term, I do not know what will be on the long-term."
Ponta insisted, after his installation as Prime Minister in May 2012, that his country should deepen relations with Russia, however Romania had decided to freezes business relations with the latter soon after the crisis erupted in Ukraine.