Abstract:
The expansionist policy of territorial annexation promoted by the Great powers in
southeastern Europe, common in eighteenth century, was continued in nineteenth century. In
November 1806 started a new russo-turkish war, ended with a peace treaty, signed in Bucharest
on 16/28 May 1812. By this treaty, Russian Empire annexed half of Moldova Principality (the
lands between the Prut and Dniester rivers), later renamed Bessarabia. Occupation of
Bessarabia by tsarist Russia was illegal, illegitimate and unfair. It was committed in violation
of basic principles of international law. Thus, promoting an aggressive expansionist policy in
southeastern Europe, the Russian Empire, in 1812, managed to transfer it’s borders on the Prut
and Danube, annexing a foreign territory in terms of ethnic, historical, geographical, political
and cultural terms. Eastern Moldova, with 44,422 km2 and about 500 000 inhabitants, is
transformed into „oblast” (region) Bessarabia.