Moldova is slightly ahead of Ukraine in completing EU membership reforms, according to Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. Both nations have opened two of six negotiation clusters, but Moldova's progress in judicial transformation and anti-corruption has been particularly praised.
The pace of reforms by Moldova and Ukraine will determine their progression towards EU membership, influencing regional stability and the EU's strategic geopolitical positioning in Eastern Europe.
Moldova and Ukraine are progressing in their EU membership bids, with recent developments highlighting differences in their reform efforts. Both countries have opened two of the six required 'enlargement clusters,' which represent lists of reforms needed for alignment with the European Union. While EU countries have linked the opening of these clusters for Chisinau and Kyiv, the subsequent reform work can vary individually.
Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has praised Moldova's performance, calling it the 'best performer' in her class due to its work on judicial transformation, media pluralism, and anti-corruption. She noted that while Ukraine is also undergoing profound transformation under difficult circumstances, its progress is more focused on security and defense, where it can be an asset to the EU.
In specific areas, Ukraine leads Moldova in implementing EU sanctions (95% vs. 91%), civil protection mechanisms, and secure digital communication. However, war-related priorities have hindered Ukraine's progress in other areas, such as non-proliferation. The country has suspended participation in an EU security mission and withdrew from an international treaty on anti-personnel mines to support its defense against Russia.