The European Union commissioner for enlargement, Marta Kos, has said that she would not rule out decoupling Moldova’s accession process from that of Ukraine.
Ukraine applied for EU membership on February 28, 2022, while Moldova’s application was filed a few days later, on March 3, 2022. Both countries were granted EU candidate status in 2022, a few months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, the EU has recently proposed a shift in the further enlargement of the bloc, Schengen.News reports.
Last month, Kos said that she does not exclude the possibility of decoupling both countries’ paths to EU membership as early as June.
“We are discussing already with the member states what to do because no member state is against starting to open the first cluster [of accession chapters] with Moldova,” EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos
Her comments came after Hungary continued to create obstacles when it comes to Ukraine’s progress toward becoming part of the EU.
She added that there is a possibility that Moldova could join the bloc before the end of her mandate in 2029.
“Moldova is really a good student in the whole group. They really feel this historical moment,” Kos added.” EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos
Hungary Continues to Oppose Ukraine’s EU Accession
Amid tense political relations, Hungary continues to oppose the opening of negotiation clusters in Ukraine’s membership in the EU.
Besides, Hungarian EU Affairs Minister János Bóka, on May 27, accused Ukraine of conducting espionage activities in Hungary.
He said that Ukraine is conducting various informational and intelligence operations in Hungary, aimed at influencing democratic decision-making processes.
According to him, in such a political context, it is difficult to conduct constructive negotiations.
The European Union ministers agreed to start accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova on June 25, 2024. The decision came during the Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) Council meeting
Poland Vowed to Prioritise Ukraine’s EU Accession
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, vowed that his country would use its position in order to push forward the accession of Ukraine to the European Union.
Poland has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union since January 1, 2025, and it will last until June 30, 2025.
In December 2024, the President of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the EU should be ready to open negotiations with Kyiv on fundamental clusters in early 2025.