Rapid EU enlargement is now necessary for security in Europe – Moldovan president

Moldova believes that the European Union should fulfil the promise it made to Moldova and Ukraine beforehand and open negotiations on their membership.

Source: Moldovan leader Maia Sandu told this to reporters in Kyiv after talks with the presidents of Ukraine and the European Council, the correspondent of European Pravda reports.

Details: Sandu emphasised that the decision of the European Union, which hesitates to open negotiations, is now also being followed by Russia, and Brussels should give it a signal that the support from the EU is not weakening.

"The decision to open negotiations on the accession of Moldova and Ukraine to the EU as soon as possible will be a signal that will be heard not only in Chisinau and Kyiv but also in Moscow, as well as in every capital that harbours authoritarian imperialist ambitions," she explained.

The president also emphasised that under the current historical conditions, the EU should decide on rapid expansion: "Speed and unity are more than a strategic choice. It is now a matter of survival and European stability. The new wave of EU expansion will be an investment in the security of the continent."

Answering questions from European Pravda, Sandu emphasised that there should be no other preconditions for the start of negotiations than those defined by Brussels in 2022.

"We were told – including by members of the (European) Council – that if we fulfil these commitments, then there will be a next step. And the next step is the start of negotiations. We think that both our countries have done a really good job, and this is confirmed by the report of the European Commission," she explained. "If necessary, we are ready (to come to Brussels and) prove that we have fulfilled what we undertook." 

On Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, publicly asked the EU not to play along with Putin in the decision regarding Ukraine. These statements came after Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán publicly promised to block a positive decision for Kyiv.

At the same time, Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, promised to do everything possible to reach unanimity in support for Ukraine in December.

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