Sandu to EU Member States: Decision to open accession talks is a message to be heard also in Moscow

The relevant statement was made by President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu during a joint press conference with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of the European Council Charles Michel in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“I call on all EU Member States to unanimously support the opening of EU accession negotiations with both Moldova and Ukraine at next month’s European Council [meeting] in Brussels,” Sandu said.

In her words, when it comes to EU enlargement, two things, unity and speed, are more important than ever.

“In the face of Russia's strategy of ‘divide and conquer’, our unity is our strongest defence. We must act with one voice, showing that our collective will is unbreakable. Furthermore, the urgency of these times, marked by war and insecurity, demands that we accelerate our processes,” Sandu stressed.

The President of Moldova mentioned that another wave of EU enlargement is an investment in the security of the continent and a demonstration of the bloc’s unwavering commitment to peace, i.e. the very foundation on which the EU was built.

“The decision to open accession talks with Moldova and Ukraine soonest is a message that would be heard not just in Chisinau and Kyiv, but also in Moscow and every capital nurturing authoritarian or imperialistic ambitions. It would be a clear message of a confident Europe that is defending peace and building a robust democratic future,” Sandu concluded.

The President of Moldova urged the entire free world and all the countries who want their borders respected to continue supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes, until its victory, as “there is no other way.”

A reminder that, on November 21, 2023, President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu arrived in Kyiv.