The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have approved a €25 million increase in funding for the Eastern Neighbourhood, including the Republic of Moldova, within the EU’s 2026 budget, announced Siegfried Muresan, President of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the Republic of Moldova.
According to Muresan, the additional resources are intended to partially offset the United States’ decision to withdraw support for civil society in the region.
“Civil society plays an essential role in strengthening democracy in our neighbouring states, especially in candidate countries like the Republic of Moldova, which is facing anti-democratic pressure and aggression from the Russian Federation. Given the withdrawal of American support, we believe it is the European Union’s duty to assist independent NGOs so they can continue their work,” Muresan said
In January 2025, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump decided to temporarily suspend all foreign aid for 90 days, a move that affected numerous Moldovan NGOs that rely heavily on international funding.