EU leaders met Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Brussels for the second EU – Moldova Summit, held a week after the first set of accession talks was formally opened.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa joined Sandu to discuss the next steps in Moldova’s bid to join the EU and the country’s gradual integration into the bloc, the Commission informed on Monday.
“Moldova’s place is in the European Union,” von der Leyen said.
The summit also reviewed progress on the EU’s €1.9 billion Growth Plan for Moldova, a funding package running from 2025 to 2027, which the Commission said is linked to reforms.
Moldova has so far secured around €504 million under the Growth Plan.
A new EU-backed investment of €232.7 million was announced for the rehabilitation of the Porumbrei – Comrat road under the Growth Plan.
Payments, roaming and security support
The leaders noted steps taken over the past year to bring Moldova closer to the EU, including joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) in October 2025 and the “Roam Like at Home” scheme in January 2026, the Commission said.
SEPA is a system that allows cross-border euro payments to be made under the same conditions as domestic transfers.
Moldova also joined Creative Europe, an EU programme supporting the cultural and creative sectors, in January 2026.
On security, the summit discussed the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine and reaffirmed support for strengthening Moldova’s resilience and democratic institutions.
The Commission announced €11 million to support Moldova against hybrid attacks, which typically combine tactics such as cyber attacks and disinformation, and €17 million for border infrastructure.
It also said the EU imposed restrictive measures last week on six individuals it described as responsible for actions aimed at destabilising Moldova and undermining its sovereignty.
Moldova is the second-largest recipient of support from the European Peace Facility — an EU fund used to finance security and defence assistance — with €197 million committed so far.
