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“In the face of current challenges, strengthening the Republic of Moldova’s resilience and its ability to respond to security challenges remain shared priorities that require close coordination,” he said.

Moldova’s path to EU membership

Prime minister Luca Niculescu said in an interview with TVR Moldova during his visit to Chișinău that Romania would support the country’s EU accession process and that any potential deadlocks would be discussed when they arise.

He said that the Republic of Moldova must focus primarily on fulfilling its obligations in the accession process. He praised the work of officials, the political class, and employees of the institutions handling the technical files.

“The most important thing is to do your job at home. To work as much as possible and as well as possible. I know you are already doing this. I know you are already working very hard, and many congratulations to those involved in this process, which is extremely important for the Republic of Moldova,” Niculescu said.

The head of government expressed optimism about the continuation of negotiations, stating that he did not want to make predictions about potential problems that might arise in the accession process.

The Romanian prime minister also expressed hope that the final negotiating clusters would be opened by the end of the year. He said that Romania was ready to contribute to joint projects by providing support through its available resources, openness, and goodwill.

On June 15, the Republic of Moldova officially opened EU accession negotiations for the first cluster, entitled “Fundamentals.” The process is divided into six negotiating clusters: Fundamentals, Internal Market, Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth, Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion, and External Relations.

The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine secured the opening of two negotiating clusters in their accession path on October 13. The opening of the final two groups of negotiating chapters, out of a total of six, is planned by the end of the year.

Niculescu also congratulated the president of the Parliament of Moldova, Igor Grosu, for the legislative efforts to accelerate the EU accession process.

“The Republic of Moldova’s place is in Europe, and we will never tire of supporting this,” he stressed.

In a separate press conference, Moldovan PM Vasile Tofan stressed that “Romania is the strongest supporter of their European path.”

Meeting Moldovan PM

Moldovan prime minister Vasile Tofan told Niculescu during their joint press conference that he was at home in Chișinău and that this was the most natural way to describe the relationship between the two countries.

He also thanked Luca Niculescu for choosing Chișinău as the destination of his first foreign visit. As per tradition, Romanian top officials visit Moldova after receiving their mandate.

The Moldovan prime minister stated that Romania was the closest friend of the Republic of Moldova.

“Romania has stood by us in our most difficult moments, when we needed rapid and concrete support. It has helped us cope with energy crises, modernize schools and kindergartens, develop infrastructure, and bring better services to our local communities. This support is visible in people’s lives and is valued by every citizen of the Republic of Moldova,” Vasile Tofan said in his speech.

The Moldovan prime minister reminded the grim realities of war in the neighboring Ukraine, which he had recently visited.

“Just last night, the Ukrainian capital was once again targeted by Russian bombardments. Sixteen ballistic missiles struck civilian targets in a city of 3.5 million people. For the people of Ukraine, this is everyday reality. This war, this cruel war, this barbaric attack by Russia does not stop at Ukraine’s borders. In both the Republic of Moldova and Romania, Russian drones violate our airspace and endanger the security of our citizens,” Vasile Tofan stressed.

He noted that there had been more than 100 unauthorized overflights of the country’s airspace since the beginning of the war.

According to the Moldovan prime minister, the security of the Republic of Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine was closely interconnected, while peace and stability in the region are a shared responsibility.

Vasile Tofan also said that he had discussed with prime minister Luca Niculescu the projects they could accelerate and the priorities for the coming period.

“First of all, we want to be better connected. More bridges over the Prut, better roads, and more efficient border crossing points. This is especially important now, during the export season for perishable goods and fruit produced by Moldovan farmers, so that people and goods can move faster and more easily. We want to accelerate the Ungheni Bridge project, including the access roads and border infrastructure, and make progress on coordinated controls at Cantemir-Fălciu,” the Moldovan prime minister added.

Vasile Tofan said that, secondly, they would continue working together on energy security.

“Romania has played an essential role in supplying the Republic of Moldova with energy. We are now building infrastructure that will give us greater security in the long term. We discussed accelerating electricity interconnections, including the Bălți-Suceava line, and from the next cold season onwards, we will also be able to rely on gas from Neptun Deep in the Black Sea,” he said.

Lastly, Tofan said that Romania was “one of our most important economic partners, but the potential is much greater in industry, energy, technology, and infrastructure.”

Romania-Moldova union

A potential union between the Republic of Moldova and Romania will take place when citizens of both countries want it, but Bucharest’s current priority is strengthening bilateral relations and bringing the Republic of Moldova even closer to the European Union, Luca Niculescu said during his visit to Moldova.

“For now, we want to bring Romania and the Republic of Moldova even closer and bring the Republic of Moldova closer to the European Union, to build these bridges and create connections between us,” said Luca Niculescu, cited by Digi24.

The idea of uniting the Republic of Moldova with Romania has resurfaced recently amid the war in Ukraine and pressure exerted by Russia on Chișinău, which have increased concerns about the country’s security and future.

At the beginning of 2026, during a discussion with two of the best-known British journalists, Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, Moldovan president Maia Sandu said for the first time that she would vote “yes” if a referendum were held on unification with Romania, but acknowledged that the idea did not enjoy sufficient support among Moldovan voters.

In an interview with German media in 2025, Romanian president Nicușor Dan said that he “personally” wanted unification with Moldova, but that as long as citizens of the Republic of Moldova supported the current form of statehood, “Romania would not undertake anything.”

On March 27, 2018, marking 100 years since the union of Bessarabia with Romania, the Parliament in Bucharest adopted a declaration stating that Romania “will always be ready” to support any reunification initiative if the citizens of the Republic of Moldova wanted it.