Moldova’s major moment on the world stage

Rishi Sunak travelled to Russia’s backyard today to hold talks with over 40 European leaders on the continent’s border security at a castle in eastern Moldova.

Hosting the second ever European Political Community (EPC) summit was a huge undertaking for the tiny post-Soviet country of Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest nations. And, with Russian soldiers stationed less than 6 miles from the castle in Moldova’s Kremlin-backed breakaway Transnistria region and with Ukraine’s border just 12 miles away, this was high security event. Moldova has closed its airspace and locals have been told they must carry permits to leave their homes. 

The EPC – Emmanuel Macron’s brainchild – was created after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a forum to encourage wider unity across the continent, between European leaders inside and outside the EU – bar Russia and Belarus. 

But, today, in addition to reiterating their support for Ukraine, whose leader was present, this was a chance for European leaders to express firm solidarity with Moldova, another EU candidate country which is extremely vulnerable to Russian aggression.

Moldova is ruled by pro-Western President Maia Sandu who, as Tim Marshall wrote previously in Reaction, is a nightmare for the Kremlin. She is a Harvard-educated, former World Bank economist who won power in 2020 promising to seek membership of the EU. Under Sandu, popular sentiment in the country has turned to Europe and away from Russia. 

But divisions remain. Anti-government demonstrations organised by the pro-Russian “Shor Party” swept the capital, Chisinau, earlier this year and Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region is already occupied by Russian “peacekeepers.” And, while Russia’s military incompetence in Ukraine has minimised the threat of a direct invasion of Moldova for now, the fear remains that it would be Putin’s next target if he did ever prevail over Kyiv. 

So holding the summit in Moldova is intended to send a clear message to the Kremlin that Europe stands not just by Ukraine but by its tiny neighbour too. 

That said, while any expressions of solidarity will be welcomed, Zelensky and Sandu will likely have been frustrated in their efforts to secure the guarantee they both prize most of all: a commitment to a fast tracked EU membership.

Moldova was formally granted candidate status alongside Ukraine last June and it wants accession talks to start by the end of the year. Yet much like with Ukraine, many have warned that this is an unrealistic timeframe due to the extensive anti-corruption reforms the country would still need to undertake in order to be welcomed into the fold. 

Hosting today’s European mega-summit is Moldova’s biggest moment on the world stage since its independence from the Soviet Union. It will be the first time many of the leaders present have even visited the tiny nation and Sandu will have no doubt have seized every possible opportunity to convince leaders that her country is fit for EU membership. 

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