The Republic of Moldova ready to begin EU accession talks. Popșoi: "The decision lies with Brussels"
The Republic of Moldova is ready to take the next step in its European Union accession process, Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi declared after European leaders officially invited the EU Council to open negotiation clusters with the country. Referring to advancing alongside Ukraine, Chișinău’s top diplomat emphasized that the decision rests with Brussels but reiterated Moldova’s strong desire for both countries to continue their European journey together.
The screening process required to initiate accession negotiations is nearly complete, with the first chapter—on fundamental rights—expected to be opened soon. Popșoi emphasized Moldova's readiness to begin this stage “as soon as possible,” but noted that the final decision lies with the EU institutions and member states.
“There are no reservations toward the Republic of Moldova from any member state, and we will continue working to preserve this openness,” Popșoi said during a show on Realitatea. “We’ll need these strong bilateral relations at every stage of the process—from the opening of each chapter to its conclusion and, ultimately, for the signing and ratification of the accession agreement. The ratification stage, in particular, will require excellent diplomatic ties with all EU member states.”
On the prospect of Moldova and Ukraine advancing in parallel through the accession process, Popșoi reiterated that the decision rests with Brussels. However, he stressed Moldova’s commitment to moving forward "hand in hand" with Ukraine, acknowledging the immense sacrifices Ukraine continues to make in the current geopolitical context.
“How the European Union chooses to proceed is ultimately its decision,” he said. “Several options are being discussed to find a creative solution that would allow both countries to move forward together. Ukraine certainly deserves to advance, considering the enormous sacrifices it is making daily—including for the Republic of Moldova.”
At the European Council Summit on June 26, 2025, the leaders of the 27 EU member states officially invited the EU Council to take the next steps in Moldova’s accession process by opening negotiation clusters “when the conditions are met.”
In the conclusions adopted at the summit, Moldova was commended for the progress it has made on reforms and encouraged to maintain the current momentum.
