On March 31, the Deputy Minister for Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, Andriy Kashuba, held an online meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of Moldova, Vladimir Bole. The main topic was the resumption of railway connections between Odessa and Chisinau, as well as the transit of Moldovan freight wagons through Ukrainian territory. This was reported by the Ministry for Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, as conveyed by the publication «South Today».
Joining the conversation were Alexander Pertsovsky, the head of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia, Alexander Fedorenko, the head of the railway transport department, Mircha Pesculuța, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Moldova, and Sergey Kotelinik, acting general director of the Moldovan Railways.
The Ukrainian side expressed interest in developing international railway transport with Moldova, emphasizing the need to consider security and economic factors.
«Ukraine and Moldova are not just neighbors, but reliable partners united by common European aspirations, – noted Deputy Minister Andriy Kashuba. – The resumption of the Odessa-Chisinau train will enhance transport accessibility and economic ties between our countries, but we must take all risks into account.»
They also highlighted the necessity for a detailed analysis of the economic viability of restoring the connection, particularly regarding passenger flow and potential transport tariffs.
Another discussed issue was the resumption of transit for Moldovan freight wagons through Ukraine. The Ukrainian side confirmed that there are no restrictions on their movement. Temporary difficulties in exchanging technical information arose due to a massive cyberattack on Ukrzaliznytsia's information systems on March 23.
«We are actively working to restore stable system operations. The Ukrainian side is ready to ensure full data exchange regarding Moldovan wagons immediately after the technical recovery measures are completed,» the ministry reported.
In conclusion, it was noted that the parties agreed to continue working on all matters and maintain close communication for further development of railway connections between Ukraine and Moldova.
