The Republic of Moldova will follow an individual path in its EU accession process and will separate from Ukraine once the first negotiation cluster opens. Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, announced the program “Pe fata” on Moldova 1.
According to Gherasimov, Brussels confirmed that Moldova and Ukraine are both ready to open the first negotiation cluster. However, the EU will evaluate each candidate country separately based on tangible progress.
“When negotiations for each group of chapters begin, every country moves at its own pace. Why? Because the reforms and changes we must carry out differ from country to country. Moldova might have fewer requirements in some chapters, while Ukraine might have fewer in others. The faster we implement reforms, the quicker we’ll close those negotiation chapters. That’s where we must focus our efforts. Once negotiations begin, each candidate follows its merit-based path, evaluated by the member states,” Gherasimov emphasized.
She clarified that Moldova and Ukraine currently follow the same screening schedule until they open the first chapter group.
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When asked whether Moldova will separate from Ukraine in the negotiation process once they open the first cluster, Gherasimov responded:
“For Cluster 1—yes. Ukraine will go its own way, and we will go ours. But we must open all six clusters for both Moldova and Ukraine.”
The European Union is also considering pursuing Moldova’s accession separately from Ukraine due to Hungary’s ongoing blockage of Ukraine’s process. European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, stated in an interview with Radio Free Europe that Moldova could potentially become an EU member by the end of her mandate in 2029. She criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban—seen as Vladimir Putin’s main ally in the EU—for politicizing Ukraine’s accession process.
European Parliament Vice President Nicolae Stefanuta echoed this view during his visit to Chisinau. He affirmed that Moldova and Ukraine should not depend on each other in their European journeys. He highlighted Moldova’s progress in the negotiations and emphasized that evaluators should assess each candidate country according to its own pace.