Weeks before getting re-elected for another term at the helm of the European Commission, von der Leyen made a statement regarding the opening of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
“We stand at the threshold of a significant and transformative moment for these two countries and for our Union. And we celebrate the values and principles that bind us together. The people of Ukraine and Moldova have demonstrated their unwavering commitment and determination to be a part of this project”, she said in a video address.
Moldova is of strategic importance for both the European Union and NATO. For example, back in 2022 at the onset of the invasion in in Ukraine there was serious talk about what would happen if the seaside city of Odessa in Ukraine were to fall. Fortunately that didn’t happen but it goes to show that there is fear that Russia could launch a new effort to reach Moldova, and there’s reason to worry about other countries being dragged into the war.
The stability of Moldova is of most concern for its western neighbor Romania, an EU and NATO member state. Romania has thrown its full support for the EU integration of the tiny Eastern European republic. Recently Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has said that he is a firm supporter of the process of enlargement of the European Union, stressing that Romania is committed to back the European integration path of Moldova and Ukraine.
Europe has another reason to care: Without Moldova, Europe would have a bigger refugee problem. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, more than 765,000 people have crossed from Ukraine into Moldova, and the small country is hosting more than 108,000 recorded refugees, according to the UN.
The European Parliament foreign affairs committee is currently dominated by the European’s People Party which has been a supporter of the enlargement process. The Foreign Affairs Committee will be headed for the next 5 years by David McAllister who was part of a cross-party working group in charge of drafting the European Parliament’s four-year work program on foreign policy.
Rareş Bogdan also from the European’s People Party will be the Foreign Affairs Committee vice-president with a clear agenda focused on Republic of Moldova. “My absolute priority is the situation in the Republic of Moldova which is being blackmailed by the Russian Federation on all fronts and facing an information war”, he said. Bogdan, a Romanian MEP added that that his appointment is a success for Romania as his country can play an integral role in the enlargement process for Georgians, Ukrainians and especially for Moldovans.
As for Ukraine things are picking up speed. On 8 November 2023, the European Commission recommended opening accession negotiations with Ukraine. On 14 December 2023, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. On 21 June 2024, the European Union agreed to start membership negotiations with Ukraine. On June 25, 2024, the EU held the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference at ministerial level to officially open accession negotiations with both Ukraine and Moldova
Again countries on the Eastern flank of both NATO and the EU like Romania have voiced support for the European integration of Ukraine. There is a push from the European Union to also integrate Ukraine economically in the region. The European Union gave a grant of 13.9 million euros for the improvement of the road transport infrastructure at the state border crossing points between Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.
The main goal of the project is to increase capacity within the main “EU Solidarity Route”, which will facilitate Ukraine’s export and import operations to the European Union.
Georgia on the other hand is not doing that well on the path to EU integration. Just months after being granted candidate status Georgia’s hope of joining the EU were put on hold because of a law that will brand Western-backed NGOs and media outlets as “foreign agents.”
