Moldova wants to prevent EU entry slowdown amid Orban’s opposition to Ukraine
Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Cristina Gherasimov (Photo: Twitter)
Moldova hopes to use the upcoming EU summit to strengthen its position on the path to joining the EU. However, the parallel consideration of Ukraine’s application creates a risk of delay in the process, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán intends to veto Kyiv’s membership, according to Politico.
Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator for European integration, Cristina Gherasimov, emphasized that any delays would damage the EU’s credibility.
“We risk providing unnecessary arguments for Russian propaganda that the EU is not interested in enlargement; that the EU does not care about countries like Moldova; and that there is no window of opportunity,” she said.
Gerasimov also emphasized that Ukraine’s EU membership is crucial for the security of the entire continent.
Orbán, who maintains close ties with Moscow, claims that 95% of Hungarian voters oppose Ukraine’s EU accession. However, opposition parties in Hungary and observers point to record-low voter turnout and possible election fraud.
Despite Ukraine’s significant progress in reforms, Budapest refuses to give Kyiv the unanimous support needed for EU membership.
Moldova’s EU accession
On June 26, ahead of the EU summit, Romanian President Nicușor Dan announced that Moldova would begin accession negotiations with the EU on July 4. He specified that the official start of talks was scheduled during the EU–Moldova summit in Chișinău.
However, he later clarified that Moldova’s accession negotiations with the EU would not begin on July 4 because the bloc’s leaders have yet to make a formal decision.
Meanwhile, Hungary has blocked the start of similar negotiations with Ukraine. According to RBC-Ukraine sources, Budapest may consider lifting its veto only after next year’s elections.
For more details on why Hungary is blocking Ukraine’s EU accession talks, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
