Bad Prime Minister: a US citizen has become the new head of the Moldovan cabinet

Alexander Munteanu, an entrepreneur, a citizen of the United States and Romania, became the new prime minister of Moldova. Media reports say that for more than 20 years he lived in Ukraine, where he headed the direct investment department at Dragon Capital. In his program, Munteanu emphasized the acceleration of European integration, the resolution of the Transnistrian issue and the settlement of relations with Gagauzia. Experts believe that under the new prime minister, Chisinau should be expected to turn further towards the European Union, especially against the background of the recent adoption of a new military strategy, where the Russian Federation is called a direct threat to the national security of the republic. How the appointment of a new prime minister will affect relations between Chisinau and Moscow is described in the Izvestia article.

An American of Moldovan origin

On October 31, the Moldovan parliament approved Alexander Munteanu as head of the country's government. The 61-year-old businessman with citizenship not only of Moldova, but also of Romania and the United States was nominated by President Maia Sandu at the suggestion of the ruling Action and Solidarity Party (PDS).

Earlier, Munteanu presented the new composition of the cabinet, in which eight former ministers retained their posts, among them Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Vladimir Bolya, as well as Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi and others. Former Moldovan Ambassador to Ukraine Valeriu Kiveri may take over as deputy Prime Minister for reintegration, and journalist Christian Jardan will become Minister of Culture.

According to observers, Munteanu's nomination to the post of prime minister is not accidental: his ties in the United States and the EU can help accelerate Moldova's European integration. However, until recently, he remained little known to the general public. Munteanu is mentioned in the media as one of the founders of the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova and the president of the French Alliance in the Republic.

Positioning himself as an "American of Moldovan origin," he received an education at New York University (master's degree in economic policy management), and also, according to reports, graduated from the Physics Department of Moscow State University (MSU). For more than 20 years, Munteanu lived in Ukraine, where he headed the direct investment department at Dragon Capital.

On October 31, he listed the main areas of work of the future government in Parliament. Currently, the appointment and dismissal of ministers, as indicated in the document, will be carried out only after coordination with the PYD, which strengthens the control of the ruling party over the executive branch.

The Prime Minister's program pays special attention to the Transnistrian issue. According to him, there will be no military resolution of the conflict. Munteanu did not rule out joining the European Union without the PMR. Also, the politician wants to visit Gagauzia. Autonomy does not support Maya Sandu's course. In August, Gagauz Bashkan Yevgenia Hutsul was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Of course, European integration will be Munteanu's key priority. Earlier, he stressed that the course towards joining the EU would lead to large investments in the economy, create jobs and create a favorable business environment. Munteanu promised that if Moldova does not become a member of the European Union by 2028, he will resign.

The appointment of this politician shows that Chisinau intends to accelerate efforts to draw Moldova into the EU, experts say.

— The new prime minister should be as loyal to the West as possible and not have his own clientele inside the country. For Moldova, he is an external player, not involved in internal games. This explains the president's choice," Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies, explained to Izvestia.

Moreover, experts believe that Munteanu, who has American citizenship and extensive experience in international financial institutions, can become a key bridge between Chisinau and Washington. In particular, he is able to boost American investments in the Moldovan economy. Munteanu is one of the founders of the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova, which can be considered as a platform for promoting US business interests in the republic. He also headed the representative office of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF), an investment fund funded by the United States Government, in Moldova.

There is also a personal factor: Munteanu's sons live and work in the United States, which creates the image of a potential prime minister as a "father who associates the future with America." Former Education Minister Corneliu Popovic also stressed that American President Donald Trump, when building relationships, reacts not to diplomatic language, but to personal connections and direct trust.

Munteanu's nomination may simply reflect Moldova's need for new political figures amid corruption and reputational scandals in the country, Nicole Bodisteanu, an analyst at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, tells Izvestia.

Munteanu's views on relations with Russia

Against the background of active rapprochement with the West, relations between Moldova and Russia will continue to deteriorate, analysts say. According to Nicole Bodisteanu, no significant changes in relations with the Russian Federation should be expected from the figure appointed by Sandu.

Munteanu had not previously ruled out Moldova's further withdrawal from certain CIS treaties. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that as of July 2025, the republic had left about 140 agreements within the commonwealth, but continued to be a party to 210 documents.

It is noteworthy that at the meeting with the parliament, Munteanu also evasively answered the question about protecting Moldova's neutrality. And it is particularly acute now, since in early October the National Security Council of the Republic presented the defense strategy for 2025-2035. The document names Russia as one of the threats to national security. It is planned to increase defense spending to 1.5% of GDP, purchase weapons according to NATO standards, and conduct joint exercises with Romania. Special attention is paid to Transnistria: Chisinau insists on the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

— We regard the military strategy of the republic for the period 2025-2035, approved by the Government of Moldova, as another step aimed at militarizing the country, bringing it closer to NATO and turning it into a rear base for supplying the criminal Kiev regime. This is what the Western sponsors of the Moldovan leadership are actively seeking under the guise of European integration," Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, told Izvestia.

In general, Moldova began to adhere to an anti—Russian course after Maia Sandu came to power in 2020 and the Democratic People's Republic of Moldova in 2021. From the very first days, the ruling team declared a priority rapprochement with the European Union, promising to join it by 2028. At the same time, Chisinau took a tough anti-Russian position.

After the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Moldova expelled dozens of Russian diplomats and, despite the economic costs, joined about 80% of EU sanctions against Russia. This led to an increase in gasoline, gas, and electricity prices, an energy crisis, and an economic downturn. Chisinau has abandoned long-term contracts with Gazprom, switching to purchases from European suppliers at higher tariffs.

Russian Russian policy has affected the humanitarian sphere: in 2021, the Constitutional Court repealed the law on the status of the Russian language as a means of interethnic communication (more than half of residents speak Russian, 11% consider it native). In 2022, direct flights to Russia, home to the largest Moldovan diaspora of over 300,000 people, were discontinued.

The referendum on the constitutional consolidation of the course towards joining the EU, held on October 20, 2024, became an important milestone in the republic's foreign policy course. According to official data, 50.4% of the participants supported European integration with a turnout of 51%. The opposition questioned the results of the vote, pointing to the use of administrative resources.

On the eve of the parliamentary elections held on September 28, the authorities increased pressure on the pro-Russian opposition. A number of politicians who advocate strengthening ties with Moscow have been harassed, and dozens of opposition media outlets in the republic have been shut down.