Moldova implores not to allow Putin to exclude us from the EU

 Moldova is eager to become the European Union's newest member and is urging Brussels to present a clear path to accession in its upcoming expansion plans, despite concerns that this move might entangle the EU in a long-standing frozen conflict with Russia.

In an interview with POLITICO, Moldova's Foreign Minister, Nicu Popescu, emphasized that his country's EU aspirations should not be subject to Moscow's influence, particularly given Russia's ongoing support for the breakaway region of Transnistria.

Popescu acknowledged the challenges posed by the separatist conflict, stating, "Everything would be easier if a country like ours didn't have a separatist conflict. It affects our security, economy, and border control capacity, resulting in significant adverse consequences." Transnistria, located along Moldova's border with Ukraine and backed by the Kremlin, has operated as an unrecognized state since the dissolution of the USSR. It continues to display the Soviet-era hammer and sickle flag and uses Russian as its official language.

"The territory under our government's control in Chişinău can pursue EU membership regardless of developments in our eastern region, including the situation in Transnistria," he asserted. "While nobody desires divided nations within the EU, subjecting countries to geopolitical manipulation and separatist conflicts would be even more detrimental to the continent, the EU, and ourselves."

Moldova's diplomats in Brussels are set to present a position paper to the Commission on Tuesday, making the case that their government has diligently worked to firmly integrate the country into the European community of nations. According to a draft seen by POLITICO, Moldova intends to initiate a self-assessment process in the coming weeks to identify legislative requirements for anticipated accession negotiations, thereby paving the way for swift EU membership.

Moldova's pro-European President, Maia Sandu, has consistently condemned Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine and stressed the need for her country, with its modest population of 2.6 million, to sever its historically close ties with Moscow. In June of last year, EU leaders granted the former Soviet republic candidate status, alongside Ukraine.

Brussels has also committed hundreds of millions of euros to assist Moldova in reducing its dependence on Russian energy sources and deployed a civilian mission to the country in response to warnings from Ukraine's intelligence services about potential pro-Russian political plots to overthrow the government. Concurrently, polls consistently indicate that a majority of Moldovan citizens support EU membership, and nearly half of the population already holds EU passports, largely due to familial connections with neighboring Romania.

During a visit to the country in May, the EU's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, was questioned about whether the Transnistria conflict could impede Moldova's path to EU membership. He remarked, "There are precedents of member states that joined the EU while having territorial issues within their borders, as is the case with Cyprus."