At the EU-Moldova summit press conference on 22 June 2026, Moldovan President Maia Sandu called for the rapid opening of the remaining accession clusters, citing technical readiness, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa insisted on merit-based benchmarks. Costa framed enlargement as a geopolitical investment, and von der Leyen linked reforms to funding, stressing that progress depends on delivery. Sandu argued for immediate acceleration, countering the narrative of Moldova as a mere recipient by highlighting its contributions to European security. Von der Leyen praised Moldova's energy decoupling from Russia, noting the Vulcănești–Chișinău interconnector. Gradual integration benefits such as SEPA and Erasmus+ were acknowledged. On EU-UK relations, Costa praised Keir Starmer's reset, and Sandu welcomed UK re-engagement. No new procedural announcements were made; next steps depend on reform delivery and Council decisions.
Source▶ Watch debate ↗
EU Matrix analysis