Moldova’s president, European Commission chief discuss country’s EU accession bid

By Nur Asena Erturk

The head of the European Commission and Moldova’s president on Tuesday discussed the country’s EU accession bid.

In a post on X, Ursula von der Leyen, the commission’s president, said that Moldovan President Maia Sandu was “fighting with her heart and soul for Moldova’s European future.”

“Today we tabled €50 million to support reforms and economic stability, von der Leyen said, adding: “We also look forward to opening a pivotal cluster of accession negotiations in 2025.”

The head of the European Commission also noted that Moldova was committed to “reforming its justice system on its path to the EU.”

Von der Leyen said that they also discussed a roadmap to “accelerate the vetting of judges and increased EU support for this to €10 million.”

Sandu, for her part, also wrote on X that, she and the European Commission president reaffirmed “strong partnership and discussed advancing Moldova’s EU path, boosting economy, reforming justice, and strengthening overall resilience.”

Sandu, seen as pro-Western, secured a second term in office following elections in October and November.

The election was marked by accusations of external influence, particularly by Sandu, who accused "criminal groups" of trying to buy 300,000 votes based on "clear" evidence.

Russia had reacted to Sandu's accusations, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov challenging her to provide evidence of the alleged interference.

A referendum took place simultaneously with the first round of the presidential election in October. Moldovans expressed support for the constitutional amendment paving the country’s way to eventual EU membership.