--- title: "EU enlargement challenges discussed in Brussels: Ukraine and Moldova begin exiting Moscow's influence" url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/83001/eu-enlargement-challenges-discussed-in-brussels-ukraine-and-moldova-begin-exiting-moscow-s-influence published: 2026-08-13T14:31:11Z language: en author: "Liubomir Guțu" section: "EU accession" source: radiomoldova.md --- # EU enlargement challenges discussed in Brussels: Ukraine and Moldova begin exiting Moscow's influence > The enlargement of the European Union is approaching a critical point in the coming months. Montenegro and Albania are getting closer to membership, while Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are making progress. Meanwhile, Brussels is evaluating the necessary reforms required to accommodate a larger and more complex Union. ![](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/dc664c93-d34d-4499-b482-57067dece80d.jpg) The enlargement of the European Union is approaching a critical point in the coming months. Montenegro and Albania are getting closer to membership, while Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are making progress. Meanwhile, Brussels is evaluating the necessary reforms required to accommodate a larger and more complex Union. The European Union is currently facing its first significant opportunity for enlargement since Brexit. While countries like Montenegro are progressing quickly towards membership, and others view the EU as a security safeguard, Brussels' ambitions for enlargement are about to undergo a critical test of its readiness and maturity. A Euronews analysis indicates that EU enlargement has gained momentum over the past decade, with several "favorites" nearing the finish line. Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are also making significant strides to break free from Moscow's sphere of influence, while Iceland is considering whether to resume accession talks. European officials are pleased that more negotiation chapters have been closed in the past six months than in the previous decade. Brussels has increasingly utilized the EU accession process as a foreign policy tool to consolidate its influence in the neighborhood, provide security guarantees to limit interference from hostile powers, and ensure stability in a changing geopolitical landscape. However, as the prospect of an enlarged Union becomes more tangible, EU institutions and Member States face essential political and strategic questions that must be addressed if the next wave of enlargement is to materialize. **Geographical balance** A key factor the Union must take into account in enlargement is geographical balance, especially in light of the great enlargement of 2004. At that time, 10 new states from Central and Eastern Europe joined the bloc, leaving many Western European capitals with the feeling that the EU’s centre of gravity had shifted too far east. The current favourites, Montenegro and Albania, would not upset this balance, given their modest size. However, as they approach the finish line, they raise a more delicate issue: how to deal with Serbia, the most important country in the Western Balkans but which remains a divisive issue among member states. As pressure grows to open more negotiating clusters with Ukraine and Moldova by the end of the year, calls for maintaining geographical balance will grow louder. This could make Ukraine’s progress dependent on Serbia’s. Iceland could be an unexpected and welcome factor in rebalancing the bloc’s economic profile: the Nordic country is holding a referendum on whether to resume EU accession talks. European capitals are aware that some form of EU membership or security guarantee will have to be part of any eventual peace deal with Moscow. Despite a modest economy, Kyiv’s territory, population and military capability would make Ukraine a highly influential member, particularly in the areas of defence and foreign policy, forcing Brussels to fundamentally rethink how an enlarged Union would function. **The need for internal reforms in Brussels** In her 2023 State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a detailed plan outlining how a European Union with 30 or more member states would function. However, the plan was quietly set aside for several years as Ukraine's candidacy complicated both the practical and political aspects of EU enlargement. The Commission is scheduled to publish the document on September 30, aiming to regain momentum on this issue. With EU enlargement now a top priority in Brussels, European governments are discussing how to manage the next wave of candidate countries. Proposals have included stronger democratic guarantees for new members and a gradual integration process that offers tangible benefits during the pre-accession phase. Meanwhile, there has been growing pressure to eliminate the unanimity requirement in areas like foreign policy. This change is part of a broader effort to ensure that the EU can act decisively in response to the current tense geopolitical climate, exacerbated by Viktor Orbán's ongoing blockages of EU decision-making. However, skeptics argue that the timing for such sweeping reforms is questionable, especially as several key EU countries are facing elections next year. In France, for instance, the possibility of a far-right candidate who is skeptical of the EU winning the presidency is more realistic than ever. **Uncertainty over ratification** The EU enlargement process has traditionally involved member states' willingness to welcome new countries into the union. Typically, EU countries express their objections before the conclusion of accession negotiations. North Macedonia’s long-standing disputes—first regarding its name with Greece and later concerning minority rights with Bulgaria—are prominent examples of this phenomenon. Although a complete blockage of accession during the ratification phase would be unprecedented, the risk is still very real. The political landscape has shifted to the right in founding member states like the Netherlands and France, making voters increasingly hesitant about the prospect of enlargement. Montenegro’s head of mission to the EU, Petar Marković, informed Euronews that one of the primary reasons his country is seeking additional guarantees regarding the rule of law and the prevention of democratic backsliding is to facilitate the ratification process. France remains the biggest uncertainty in this context. In 2005, Paris enacted a constitutional amendment which stipulates that any new accession treaty must either be subject to a national referendum or be approved by a three-fifths majority in parliament. *** The Republic of Moldova has made significant progress in its journey toward European Union (EU) membership. On July 14, the second group of negotiation chapters concerning foreign policy, security, defense, and common commercial policy was officially opened. Moldova submitted its application for EU membership in 2022, alongside Ukraine, shortly after the onset of the large-scale Russian invasion. That same year, Moldova was granted candidate status.