The presidents of Moldova and Ukraine, Maia Sandu and Volodymyr Zelensky, met in Nicosia to coordinate the actions of the two countries regarding their accession to the European Union.

The Presidents of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, Maia Sandu and Volodymyr Zelensky, met on Wednesday in Nicosia, on the occasion of the launch of the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the European Union. The purpose of the meeting was to boost the EU's enlargement agenda, discussing the integration of Chișinău and Kyiv. Zelensky emphasized the importance of coordinating the common path towards EU membership and the simultaneous opening of the first negotiation clusters. Sandu stated that Moldova is ready to make progress in the accession process, highlighting constructive discussions with EU leaders. Additionally, the leaders of European institutions welcomed the progress of Moldova and Ukraine, emphasizing that their accession to the EU will bring more security and stability to Europe. Ukraine applied for EU membership in February 2022, and Moldova did the same in March 2022, both countries having candidate status since June 2022. The European Commission recommended the opening of negotiation clusters, but the decision requires unanimity in the EU Council, with Hungary continuing to oppose Ukraine.