European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, at the second EU-Moldova Summit on 22 June 2026, urged the swift opening of all remaining accession clusters after the first cluster was opened the previous week, and praised Moldova's progress under the EUR 1.9 billion Growth Plan. Von der Leyen said the Commission had recommended to the Council to open the clusters, and noted that Moldova had already received the first tranches of the Growth Plan, which aims to create a level playing field with the EU Single Market. The summit marks a further step in EU-Moldova relations, with von der Leyen commending President Maia Sandu's government for delivering reforms 'fast and excellently'.
a call for rapid cluster openings and confirmation of disbursements under the Growth Plan, signalling a clear policy orientation toward accelerating Moldova's EU integration. The statement shifts the status quo toward a more assertive EU push for enlargement, with von der Leyen personally endorsing speed and praising reform progress. No prior coverage exists on this file in the last 180 days.