The acceptance of Moldova and Ukraine into the EU is a geopolitical, strategic decision that comes in the wake of the imperial ambitions exhibited by Russia, political commentator Nicolae Negru stated in a public debate hosted by IPN.
According to him, so far Moldova formed part of the Eastern Partnership and this status didn’t imply the entry into the EU. The Eastern Partnership wasn’t the EU’s antechamber despite the existence of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Fade Agreements. The situation changed together with the outbreak of the war, but European officials also underlined the necessity of further enlarging the EU.
Nicolae Negru also said that the EU saw how Russia acted towards Ukraine and could not abandon the states around it in the “gray zone”, prey to Russia’s ambitions. The internal problems in the EU should also be taken into account. These problems are amplified by the war and by particular internal political processes. For example, one of the political parties in Germany is a political force that favors more the Russian ambitions than the EU’s values. The developments in the U.S. matter too. Things will be influenced by the upcoming European Parliament elections as well.
The political commentator referred also to the Transnistrian conflict in the context of Moldova’s accession to the EU. He said that Ukraine’s Crimea was annexed and there are also other occupied Ukrainian territories, but nobody says not to open accession negotiations with this country as the war with Russia should be first solved. If the condition that Moldova will not be accepted into the EU if the Transnistrian dispute is not resolved is imposed, we will give Putin the right of veto on the foreign policy of Moldova and Ukraine or of any other state, as Maia Sandu stated.
He also said that the decision to open the accession negotiations should be very well thought out as its impact on Moldova will be probably lesser than for Ukraine on which an unfavorable decision will have a demoralizing effect and such a decision would enable Russia to triumph.
In another development, Nicolae Negru noted that the Europeans are confused and don’t know how to interpret the removal of an election contender from the electrical competition in Moldova not long before election day. The authorities explained that this party represents particular criminal organizations that use illicit funds and there is Russian behind it. Now, the rules of democracy should be obeyed. But the situation in Moldova is unique. Europe and Moldova will have to provide more explanations on the issue, but particular reports cannot be made public as they were provided by intelligence services. Europe and Moldova should agree another approach to this problem as Russia does not intend to stop at Ukraine or Moldova.
The public debate entitled “Possible scenarios for European Council’s decision about Moldova” was the 295th installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” which is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
