Historically, the Principality of Moldavia was a vassal of Kingdom of Poland and later, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

[2] The latter census did not include data collected in Transnistria, which for centuries was within the boundaries of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and was subject to significant Polish colonization.

Some authors include in their estimates people of Polish descent, while others assume people of Catholic faith (in a predominantly Eastern Orthodox country) are most probably of Polish descent; and this may include, e.g. Ukrainians with ties to Poland in their ancestry.

A number of Transnistrian politicians such as former First Lady Nina Shtanski and Yevgeni Zubov, however, are open about their Polish roots.

[8] In 2020, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova, Poland donated medical aid and equipment, incl.