I wondered why Moldova's southern border — clearly intentionally not letting it reach the Black Sea — was drawn that way. After rephrasing my question in different ways, filtering out the pro-NATO b.s., this is what Bing Co-Pilot finally came up with:

Copilot

Certainly!
Let's explore the historical and geopolitical context behind
Moldova's southern border:

1. Ancient
   Inhabitants:

• Moldova's
  territory was inhabited by ancient Dacians, and Moldovans
  identify themselves with their ancestors.

• During
  classical antiquity, Carpian tribes also inhabited Moldova's
  land³.

2. Roman
   and Byzantine Influence:

• Between
  the 1st and 7th centuries AD, the southern part of Moldova
  intermittently came under the control of the Roman and later
  the Byzantine Empires.

• Due
  to its strategic location on a route between Asia and Europe,
  Moldova faced invasions by various groups, including the Goths,
  Huns, Avars, Magyars, Pechenegs, Cumans, and Mongols¹.

3. Russian
   Annexation of Bessarabia:

• In
  1812, following one of several Russian–Turkish wars, the
  eastern half of Moldova, known as Bessarabia, was annexed by
  the Russian Empire.

• The
  Treaty of Adrianople in 1829 pushed Russia's frontier south to
  include the Danube delta, further altering Moldova's
  southern border².

4. Moldavian
   Democratic Republic and Union with Romania:

• In
  1918, Bessarabia briefly became independent as the Moldavian
  Democratic Republic.

• Following
  the decision of the Parliament (Sfatul Țării), it united with
  Romania.

• However,
  during World War II, Bessarabia was occupied by the Soviet
  Union, which reclaimed it from Romania¹.

5. Post-Soviet
   Independence:

• In
  1991, after the dissolution of the USSR, Moldova declared
  independence as the Republic of Moldova.

• Despite
  its lack of direct access to the Black Sea, Moldova maintains
  connections through its river basins and geopolitical ties¹.

In
summary, Moldova's southern border has evolved over centuries due to
historical events, territorial shifts, and geopolitical influences.
Its current configuration reflects a complex interplay of factors
that have shaped its identity and position in Eastern Europe^1
2.

Source(s)

1.
Moldova
– Wikipedia

2.
History
of Moldova – Wikipedia

3.
History
of Moldova | Facts, Flag, & Map | Britannica

4.
Moldova
| History, Population, Map, Flag, Capital, & Facts