Moldova will have to discuss with Russia the issue of the withdrawal of the Operational Group of Russian Forces (OGRF) from Transnistria, Moldova's Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri, who leads the republic’s delegation at the Transnistrian settlement talks, told journalists. Earlier, Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated that the issue of the OGRF withdrawal should be resolved during negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. They maintain peace in the Security Zone along the Dniester River, a demilitarized buffer area established by the ceasefire agreement to separate the forces of Moldova and the breakaway region of Transnistria, together with the "blue helmets" of Moldova and Transnistria. The Moldovan leadership insists on the OGRF withdrawal and proposes replacing the peacekeepers with a civilian mission under an international mandate. However, Tiraspol opposes the withdrawal of Russian troops, as the civilian mission failed to prevent an armed conflict in 1992, in which more than a thousand people were killed, tens of thousands were injured and became refugees.