Chisinau pushes for fast-track EU negotiations amid disinformation surge and political uncertainty
Moldova has called on the European Union to officially open accession negotiations before its September 28 parliamentary elections, as the country seeks to shield its pro-European trajectory from a wave of disinformation and geopolitical instability.
Speaking on July 3, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Cristina Gherasimov stressed that the timing is crucial. “Most of the disinformation targets our relationship with the EU,” she said, arguing that formal negotiations would send a powerful signal to voters that EU membership is not just a promise — it’s a real and reciprocal process. The remarks came ahead of the first-ever EU-Moldova summit, held today in Chișinău, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s European path.
Parallel tracks diverging under Hungarian blockade
Moldova and Ukraine began EU accession talks simultaneously in June 2024, and until recently, moved forward in tandem. But progress has stalled amid Hungary’s continued veto of opening the first negotiation cluster with Ukraine, driven by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s opposition to Kyiv’s membership bid.
By contrast, Moldova has completed the screening of four out of six negotiation clusters, with EU officials expecting the remaining two to be finalized “soon.” With Chișinău pulling ahead on technical progress, EU institutions are facing growing pressure to decide whether to de-link the two bids — or maintain a unified Eastern Enlargement track.
Brussels is walking a tightrope: any move to accelerate Moldova’s accession could alienate Ukraine, whose reform efforts continue under wartime conditions, and undermine regional cohesion. Still, the urgency in Chișinău is real, as pro-Russian actors ramp up disinformation campaigns ahead of Moldova’s autumn vote.
“We need to demonstrate that when Moldova delivers, Europe responds,” said Gherasimov. “This is a matter of strategic credibility.”
Eastern flank unity vs. multi-speed integration
EU officials now face a dilemma that is as political as it is procedural. The European Commission and member states must reassure Moldova of their commitment, while also avoiding the perception of favoring one Eastern partner over another. Ukraine’s government, under mounting pressure both militarily and diplomatically, has so far refrained from criticizing the potential divergence — but the risks are clear.
Analysts and officials close to the process argue that splitting the Moldovan and Ukrainian tracks would damage both, given their shared geopolitical challenges, primarily stemming from Russian aggression, both military and hybrid.
“A parallel approach strengthens the EU’s Eastern flank and anchors stability,” one EU diplomat told Politico Europe. “Ukraine and Moldova are interdependent. Their transformation is mutually reinforcing.”
The Eastern Partnership, once seen as a soft-power instrument, now carries strategic weight. Keeping Kyiv and Chișinău on a joint accession path is viewed in Brussels as a litmus test of the EU’s resolve to support democracies under external threat.
Reform momentum and democratic credibility on the line
Both Ukraine and Moldova have made significant progress on institutional reforms, aligning with Copenhagen and Maastricht criteria, even under vastly different conditions. Moldova’s civil service, judiciary, and anti-corruption frameworks have been overhauled at pace; Ukraine, despite war, continues to implement sweeping anti-oligarchic and defense-sector reforms.
European leaders are now expected to send a clear message of continued strategic commitment — not just for the sake of Moldova’s election climate, but to affirm the EU’s long-term credibility as a geopolitical actor.
As one senior EU official put it: “This isn’t just enlargement policy. It’s about defending Europe’s values where they are most under pressure.”
