EU Council President praises Moldova’s rapid accession progress

President of the European Council António Costa said that Moldova deserves to join the European Union as soon as possible, highlighting the country's progress in the accession process during the second EU–Moldova Summit in Brussels.

Welcoming Moldovan President Maia Sandu to the summit, Costa praised the work carried out by Moldovan authorities and welcomed the recent opening of accession negotiations on the first cluster of chapters, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

“I welcome you to Brussels for the second EU–Moldova Summit. I congratulate you on the work you have done. Last week we opened negotiations on the first cluster. Now we must work harder and faster to open all the remaining clusters because, for us, the main priority is enlargement toward Moldova and, of course, no one doubts that you deserve to obtain European Union membership as soon as possible,” Costa said.

The European Council president emphasized that previous political obstacles had been overcome and that the focus should now be on implementing reforms and advancing negotiations.

“We have overcome the political blockages, and from now on it is all about hard work,” he added.

The EU–Moldova Summit serves as a high-level platform for dialogue between Brussels and Chisinau and reflects the increasingly close partnership between the two sides, as well as Moldova’s commitment to joining the European Union.

This year’s meeting comes just one week after the official opening of accession negotiations on the “Fundamentals” cluster, marking a significant milestone in Moldova’s European integration journey.

During the summit, leaders are discussing the next stages of the accession process, Moldova’s reform agenda, regional developments, cooperation in security, defense and energy, and continued EU support for the country’s economic growth.

According to Moldova’s Presidency, both the European Commission and the European Council have confirmed that Moldova is ready to open negotiations on all chapter clusters in line with the EU’s merit-based accession framework.

At the end of the summit, joint press statements are expected from Maia Sandu, Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa.

The Brussels gathering is the second summit of its kind between Moldova and the European Union. The first EU–Moldova Summit was held in Chisinau on July 4, 2025.

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