Is Trans-Dniester next in line for Anschluß?

[MNBrewer]

Moldova's Trans-Dniester region pleads to join Russia

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26627236

Pro-Russian politicians and activists in Moldova's breakaway Trans-Dniester region have asked the Russian parliament to draft a law that would allow their territory to join Russia.

In a September 2006 referendum, unrecognised by Moldova and the international community, the region reasserted its demand for independence.

Irina Kubanskikh, spokeswoman for the Trans-Dniester parliament, told Itar-Tass news agency that the region's public bodies had "appealed to the Russian Federation leadership to examine the possibility of extending to Trans-Dniester the legislation, currently under discussion in the State Duma, on granting Russian citizenship and admitting new subjects into Russia".

A pro-Kremlin party, A Just Russia, has drafted legislation to make it easier for new territories to join Russia. The party told the Vedomosti newspaper that the text was now being revised, in order not to delay the rapid accession of Crimea to Russia.

[Bad Thoughts]

1. Doubtful

Even with majority support for annexation, Crimea promises to be economicy and diplomatically costly. I think there are limits to what Putin can do, especially if he wants to build an eastern alternative to the EU.

[MNBrewer]

4. Perhaps

but does anyone even remember Abkhazia and South Ossetia now? Give it a few years and I bet he'll do it again.

Not that there's anything that can be done about it other than economic measures. War would be out of the question.

I bet Ukraine is sad they gave up their nukes in exchange for $ and guarantees of territorial integrity right about now.

[Bad Thoughts]

6. Ukraine could be the new Israel

We sell them arms and flood them with money to pursue energy independence.

[baldguy]

2. Peace in our time...

[POsphere]

3. Godwined

in the first sentence

[MNBrewer]

5. Welcome to DU