Kyiv and Chisinau signal positions as 8 April 2026 began

What was the diplomatic picture around Ukraine on 8 April 2026? Two developments from the preceding days framed it: Kyiv's stated readiness for more peace talks, and Moldova's parliamentary decision to leave the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Kyiv open to another round

On 4 April 2026, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was willing to hold the next round of peace talks with Russia and the United States. The statement came as part of the continuing negotiations over the Russo-Ukrainian war.

The positions of the two sides were far apart. As later described, Russia's president Vladimir Putin seeks recognition of all occupied land as Russian, guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO, limits on Ukraine's military and the lifting of sanctions. Zelenskyy seeks a ceasefire, a full withdrawal of Russian troops, the return of prisoners and kidnapped Ukrainian children, prosecution of Russian leaders for war crimes, and security guarantees against further aggression.

Moldova leaves the CIS

On 2 April 2026, Moldova's parliament approved the country's withdrawal from the CIS. The government argued that the organisation's core values and principles, including territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders, were no longer respected. It pointed to Russia's actions in the region, including the war against Ukraine and what it called an illegal military presence on Moldovan territory.

The vote sat within the wider context of Moldova's accession to the European Union and its strained relations with Russia.

The picture on 8 April

By 8 April 2026, then, Kyiv had declared itself ready to continue talks with Moscow and Washington, while neighbouring Moldova had formally moved to distance itself from a Russia-linked grouping, citing the war in Ukraine as one reason.