Why Moldova’s Gagauzia matters to Russia and Turkey

Tensions are growing between Russia and Turkey over an autonomous region of Moldova.
Gagauzia was once part of the Soviet Union and Russia maintains a strong influence.
The people of Gagauzia are ethnically Turkic and their language is also closer to Turkish than any other in the region but they are also mainly Orthodox Christians and strongly pro-Russia.
But Turkey also wants to exert its influence and has been helping to finance development projects.

While Turkey and Russia continue to vie for influence in the Caucasus and the Middle East - Gagauzia's governor says cooperation there, between Moscow, Ankara and the European Union, could offer another way of conducting diplomacy in the region.

Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego went to Moldova’s autonomous region of Gagauzia to meet people caught in the middle of this regional tug of war.

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