Latest news with #Gherasimov
Euractiv
14 hours ago
- Business
- Euractiv
The EU's Moldova dilemma
Moldova wants to leapfrog Ukraine on its path to EU membership, giving Brussels a dilemma on how to reward Chișinău's reform drive without alienating Kyiv. Moldova will host its first-ever summit with the EU on Friday – a symbolic milestone that underscores the country's accelerating pivot towards Brussels. "The summit elevates the relationship to a whole new level, recognising Moldova's strategic importance for the EU," Moldova's Deputy Prime Minister, Cristina Gherasimov, told Euractiv in Brussels. Yet, behind the ceremonial warmth, a hard political question looms: Can Moldova advance on its own, breaking the tandem it has maintained with Ukraine since both countries received candidate status in 2022? Leaving Ukraine 'behind'? A key deliverable is expected to be the inclusion of Moldova into the EU roaming policy, unlocking swift pre-financing under the EU's Growth Plan and cash for infrastructure projects, according to the most recent draft summit declaration, seen by Euractiv."On accession, (the summit) helps build the momentum needed to move forward with negotiations, by demonstrating both political will and progress on reforms," Gherasimov said. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been unequivocal on Ukraine – they won't be joining on his watch. The ultimate prospects of both countries remain at the mercy of Budapest, which retains a firm veto over the EU's accession process. Brussels looks ready to allow Moldova to inch forward, according to the most recent draft summit declaration, seen by Euractiv. The summit could see a pledge to open negotiations on the so-called 'fundamental cluster' – the package of rule-of-law, judicial, and anti-corruption reforms that countries must implement before aligning with the EU's rulebook in other areas. Yet the language has been noticeably softened, according to EU officials. An earlier version had pledged to open all six negotiating clusters, but that commitment has been removed, reflecting hesitancy among EU countries wary of moving too quickly. Officially, the two countries are not tied together, as was the case with North Macedonia and Albania in the past, where neither could have moved without the other until EU leaders removed that provision. Kyiv and Chișinău had merely made a political pact to support each other and advance their reforms in lockstep. But this is by no means binding. Concerns about the optics of un-fastracking a Ukraine still crippled by war, however, have led to some confusing messaging from Brussels, including from Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. 'Many feel that we can't give the impression of leaving Ukraine somehow behind, especially not after they've committed to a reform push under the worst war circumstances,' one EU diplomat said. Denmark, too, which just took over the EU's six-month presidency, remains uncertain when it will be able to move ahead with the next accession steps. Russia looming For Moldova's President Maia Sandu, even such partial progress would be a political windfall. EU membership enjoys broad support at home, and Sandu has staked her reputation on bringing her country closer to Brussels. Her pro-EU platform won her re-election and an EU membership referendum last autumn, despite the polls being marred by alleged Russian meddling. Russian interference could again play a role in the country's parliamentary elections this September. The summit declaration is expected to strongly condemn Moscow's 'persistent hybrid threats,' from energy blackmail to disinformation campaigns designed to destabilise Moldova's democracy. It will also call on Russia to withdraw its troops from the pro-Russian separatist Transnistria region, where Moscow has maintained a military presence since the 1990s. 'Already now, we are seeing efforts [by Russia] to downplay the significance of the summit of our engagement (…) a full-scale information war has been launched against Moldova, and the strategy is pretty clear,' one EU official said. With the summit, 'the EU wish is to show Moldovan citizens, [but] also those who try to undermine their choices, that the EU is there, the EU supports Moldova, and Moldova does not stand alone,' a second EU official said. (om)
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Moldova urges EU to advance membership talks to counter Moscow
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BRUSSELS - Moldova wants to start membership negotiations with the European Union in earnest before a September election to counter Russian disinformation in the country about the EU, Deputy Prime Minister Cristina Gherasimov said. Both Moldova and neighbouring Ukraine – which is fighting a more than three-year-old Russian invasion - formally began membership talks last June but they have yet to advance to substantive negotiations on key policies. Although the EU's executive body and nearly all member states say Moldova and Ukraine have met the criteria to do so, Hungary has blocked Kyiv's progress. EU members are reluctant to give Moldova the go-ahead without doing the same for Ukraine. EU membership is a major strategic goal for both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Moldovan President Maia Sandu as they seek to break away from Russia's influence and anchor their former Soviet republics in the West. Ahead of a first-ever EU-Moldova summit in Chisinau on Friday, European officials face a dilemma in wanting to affirm to Moldova that the EU is committed to its future integration without stoking Ukrainian concerns that it may be left behind. Accession negotiations are divided into six thematic sections, known as clusters, covering issues such as fundamental rights, economic policy and foreign relations. "We truly trust the member states that a solution will be found both for Moldova and for Ukraine to open cluster one in the near future," Gherasimov, Moldova's deputy prime minister for European integration, told Reuters in Brussels. "For Moldova, the timing is crucial. We have elections on September 28, parliamentary elections where disinformation unfortunately plays a big role, and most of this disinformation targets the EU," Gherasimov said. Pro-Russian politicians, media outlets and social media accounts allege that the EU is not interested in having Moldova as a member. "We need to show that when we deliver on our side, this is reciprocated by the EU. And this will help us silence those narratives that want to prove the contrary," Gherasimov said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says letting Ukraine into the EU would drag the whole bloc into war with Russia. EU officials counter that the current debate is just about starting the accession process, which usually takes many years. While there is no political appetite in the EU for a major round of enlargement in the short term, analysts say the stalemate caused by Hungary's veto raises broader questions. "There is a lot at stake," said Anastasia Pociumban, a research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations. "I think when the EU is not able to deliver on this promise, and on this process, the question is: How relevant is the EU then in this new order?" REUTERS
