At the EU-Moldova summit on 22 June 2026, European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Moldovan President Maia Sandu and urged accelerated progress on Moldova's EU accession. Costa congratulated Moldova on the formal opening of the first cluster of accession negotiations, calling enlargement a 'main priority' and urging faster work to open remaining clusters.
Von der Leyen highlighted the €1.9 billion Growth Plan, praising Moldova's reform progress and noting that the Commission has recommended opening clusters to the Council. Sandu acknowledged the 'moment of real opportunity' and pledged to 'earn every step' through hard reforms, calling on the EU to match Moldova's speed and ambition. No divergences were expressed; all speakers aligned on accelerating accession. Next steps involve opening further clusters. Affected stakeholders include Moldovan businesses and citizens, who stand to benefit from single market access and EU funds.