Romania's president says Russia may have territorial ambitions that stretch all the way down to his country's eastern border.
Traian Basescu said Russia is behaving in an unpredictable manner and the recent annexation of Crimea following its invasion of Georgia in 2008 can no longer be viewed "as isolated incidents."
The Romanian leader told Defense Ministry officials Thursday that Moscow may have plans to grab territory in a pro-Russian separatist region in Moldova or in southern Ukraine "from Odessa to the mouth of the Danube to Chilia" — referring to areas in Romania along the border with southern Ukraine.
Basescu is outspoken about Russian influence in the region. In 2005 he said Russia treats the Black Sea like "a Russian lake."
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