Adept - Some developments in the second half of June have made observers suppose that the race between Ukraine and Russia to control the Transnistrian regime has intensified. After Russia has refused to recognise Transnistria's independence despite its promise to extend the "Kosovo precedent" Transnistrian leaders signalled the need to promote a "multi-vector" foreign policy which would replace the one addressing Russia only. The multi-vector foreign policy may consist in oscillations between Russia and Ukraine only, as the existence and the survival of the separatist regime have always depended on willingness of the two countries.

In this respect, it is curious that Ukraine has recently got what Russia could not earlier get, though Russia should be crowned with the laurel of efficient peacekeeper. Thus, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported on June 18, 2008 that after a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vladimir Ogrizko in Odessa on June 14, Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov has accepted the following:

• The resumption of the "5+2" negotiations;
• The co-participation of Transnistria in the Moldovan-Ukrainian border delimitation commission. Earlier, Smirnov had categorically opposed this, saying that Moldova's participation in delimiting the Transnistrian section of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border is not grounded;
• Talks on building the Dniester Euroregion, which would cover segments of the Ukrainian regions Odessa and Vinitsa on one side and Transnsitria on the other side.
• In all likelihood, Russian authorities have decided to get involved in order to prevent the development of Tiraspol's game with Kiev, given their "friendly" relations with Ukraine.

Litskai has made public the target of playing on contradictions between Chisinau and Kiev, while Chisinau is trying to get in the good graces of Moscow in the detriment of relations with Kiev.

The Deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council, Yuri Zubakov, met President Vladimir Voronin and Tiraspol leader Igor Smirnov in Chisinau and Tiraspol on June 18–20, 2008. Zubakov has told Smirnov in Tiraspol that a meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev will be organised in the second half of the year, stressing that he has visited Transnistria to meet his instruction of discussing and answering acutest issues. According to Zubakov, these are: the harmonisation of Transnistrian legislation with Russian laws; the Russian humanitarian assistance to Transnistria and the resumption of the "5+2" negotiation process. Zubakov and Russian diplomats who accompanied him assured that Russia does not have plans to pressure the separatist regime and its position did not change – the parties must find a mutually accepted solution and negotiation is the only way to do this and this process shall be resumed. Russian diplomats insisted on two priorities: strengthening confidence-building measures and drafting a document on Transnistria's status. In order to be more convincing, Russian diplomats recalled the economic aid provided to Transnistria. In particular, they interestingly remarked the Russian "direct subsidies" for the natural gas supplied to Transnistria, which raised debts in the amount of 1.6 billion dollars. Earlier, Russian authorities avoided discussing "direct subsidies" on gas supplies, while now they are directly promising to continue doing this in future but the consumption and distribution of resources shall be transparent."

Transnistrian authorities have appointed Deputy foreign minister Vladimir Yastrebchiak as ad-interim minister shortly after the visit by Russian diplomats led by Zubakov to Chisinau and Tiraspol. The news agency Novy Region quoted sources in the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry as saying that Smirnov will fire Litskai soon for the pro-Ukraine policy he has tried to promote in the last months. The eventual dismissal of Litskai is allegedly linked to his alcohol addiction which often turns into public debauches. In these circumstances, one shall see the real reasons why Litskai is disgraced for: promotion of the so-called "multi-vector" foreign policy with oscillations between Russia and Ukraine, serious drunkenness, health, etc. Indeed, all these factors are convergent.

During a June 24, 2008 meeting between the chairman of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Philip Remler, and Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov the sides discussed ways to optimise the activity of Moldovan-Transnistrian working groups and give an impulse to efforts to restart negotiations. In this respect, Smirnov has accepted to meet President Vladimir Voronin again in the second half of July 2008 in the presence of representatives of participants in the "5+2" negotiations. However, Smirnov emphasised that working groups do not progress; Transnistria will accept only an equal-footing dialogue and guarantees that previous agreements between Chisinau and Tiraspol will be honoured. Also, Smirnov avoided confirming reports by the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry regarding results of the meeting with Minister Vladimir Ogrizko in Odessa. He noted that Transnsitria is interested to resolve economic and transportation problems, particularly the resumption of the railway traffic, which will be discussed in the "5+2" format.

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