Leaders of the European Union plan to hold an autumn summit on October 23–24, which will be the first after the pro-European party PAS, led by President Maia Sandu, won the parliamentary elections in Moldova on September 28.
This is reported by Kyiv24
EU’s Position on Moldova and Ukraine on the Path to Membership
According to the draft final declaration of the summit, EU leaders intend to give Moldova a clear positive signal regarding its Euro-integration prospects. The document stipulates that after the start of accession negotiations, which are currently blocked by Hungary due to its claims against Ukraine, the process for Moldova may proceed at an accelerated pace.
Previously, Moldova, like Ukraine, considered the possibility of starting negotiations only on the first cluster of chapters – “Fundamentals of EU Accession.” Now, it will be allowed to begin negotiations simultaneously on three fronts, adding “Internal Market” and “External Relations” to the list. In total, the negotiations are expected to cover six clusters.
The Impact of Hungary’s Position and Close Ties with Ukraine
The draft summit declaration includes an endorsement of PAS’s victory and a separate section dedicated to Moldova. The EU welcomes the efforts of the country’s authorities to protect the electoral process, despite hybrid influences from Russia that undermine democratic institutions. The Union emphasizes that it will continue to support Moldova in strengthening its resilience and stability.
“The European Council commends the authorities of Moldova for safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process in the recent parliamentary elections, despite the hybrid activities of Russia that undermine the country’s democratic institutions. The European Union will continue to work closely with the Republic of Moldova to strengthen the country’s resilience and stability,” the draft statement reads.
Nevertheless, the declaration does not yet specify concrete timelines for the start of Moldova’s membership negotiations. The process remains blocked due to Hungary’s opposition, which raises claims against Ukraine regarding the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia, the level of corruption, and territorial control. Hungary has no similar objections to Moldova, but Brussels insists that negotiations should proceed simultaneously for both countries, as they were submitted “as a package.”
Despite calls from some politicians to separate the accession processes for Moldova and Ukraine, most EU governments and Kyiv firmly oppose such a division.
European editor of Radio Free Europe, Rikard Jozwiak, believes that the lifting of Hungary’s blockade on Ukraine’s candidacy is unlikely as long as Viktor Orban remains in power in Budapest. However, if the opposition wins the elections in Hungary in 2026, the situation may change. The EU makes it clear that if Budapest gives the “green light” to Kyiv, accession negotiations for both Ukraine and Moldova will begin very quickly.