Moldova is considering the possibility of introducing a visa regime for citizens of Russia, Belarus, and nine other countries as part of its preparations for accession to the European Union. These changes could be part of the mandatory alignment of Moldovan immigration legislation with European standards.
Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan made this statement during an appearance on the “Cutia Neagră” program on TV8.
“We want to continue on the European path. I’m not yet ready to name a date. If EU standards require it, I believe we must make decisions that will allow us to move forward in the process of European integration,” the head of government said.
The basis for discussing these changes was the European Commission’s annual report on Moldova’s progress toward EU membership, presented on November 4, 2026.
The document notes that Moldova’s visa policy does not yet fully comply with EU requirements. In particular, Chisinau maintains a visa-free regime with 11 countries whose citizens require visas for short-term entry into the EU.
This list includes Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu.
The European Commission recommends that Moldova continue to align its national visa legislation with European standards. Until this process is complete, Brussels proposes strengthening checks on third-country nationals who benefit from visa-free entry, particularly in cases where there are migration risks or security threats.
The report also notes that in December 2025, Moldova adopted a law denouncing the CIS agreement on visa-free travel. The European Commission views this step as a preparatory stage for further alignment of visa policy with EU legislation.
At the same time, the denunciation of the agreement does not in itself mean the automatic introduction of visas for citizens of all CIS countries.
As of November 6, 2026, citizens of Russia and Belarus can still enter Moldova without visas. Current rules allow for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
The Moldovan government has not yet specified the exact timing of a possible change to the visa regime.
Similar measures are already being taken by other countries seeking to join the European Union. In particular, Montenegro introduced a visa regime for citizens of Russia, Belarus, China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey effective November 1, 2026.
Albania had previously abolished its permanent visa-free regime for citizens of Belarus.
Moldova applied for membership in the European Union on March 3, 2022, received candidate country status in June of that year, and officially began accession negotiations on June 25, 2024.
In 2026, the country continued the negotiation process, opening several thematic chapters related to the internal market, competitiveness, and external relations.
The Moldovan authorities expect to conclude EU accession negotiations by early 2028, while maintaining their long-term goal of becoming a member of the EU by 2030.
Moldova’s Minister of Energy, Dorin Junghiu, stated that the country may purchase some gas from Ukraine, and negotiations are already underway.
“Moldova may purchase between 10 million and 50 million cubic meters of natural gas from Ukraine. The final volume will depend on the availability of surplus reserves and the commercial terms of the deal. Potential purchase volumes will be influenced by both existing contracts and the availability of gas for delivery to Moldova,” the minister said during a broadcast on Radio Moldova on Tuesday.
According to him, this issue was discussed last week during a government delegation’s visit to Kyiv, after which Moldova conducted a test purchase of gas, importing 2 million cubic meters.
Jungietu declined to specify a possible gas price or the formula for calculating it, so as not to influence the course of negotiations: “These are commercial negotiations, and we cannot disclose the pricing formula at this time. The purchase must be commercially advantageous for Moldova. Negotiations are ongoing; we want to secure a price below market value. That is the current situation.”
So far, the authorities have not announced the signing of a contract, the final price of the gas, or the timing of potential deliveries.
According to the Minister of Energy, in the future, Moldova will be able to cover approximately one-quarter of its daily natural gas consumption through supplies from the Romanian Neptun Deep field in the Black Sea once production begins, which is expected in late 2027.
“The gas will be purchased under a contract signed last year between Energocom and the Romanian company OMV Petrom. The volumes were made public last year. We’re talking about roughly a quarter of our daily gas consumption. The pricing formula is also based on exchange indicators but includes a discount. Of course, we cannot disclose the size of the discount, since this is not so much a matter of confidentiality as it is a matter of revealing Energocom’s procurement strategy, which is undesirable,” stated Dorin Jungietu.
According to him, another advantage of supplies from “Neptun Deep” is lower transportation costs, which could help lower rates for end consumers.
On May 7, 2025, the state-owned company Energocom signed a three-year contract with OMV Petrom to purchase natural gas from Neptun Deep.
Ukraine is asking Moldova to extend the 50% discount on transit rail freight for Ukrainian cargo through 2027, Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi said.
“Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports are intensifying. They are indeed harming our export flows and require reliable alternative routes. I thank the Moldovan government for providing Ukraine with a 50% discount on rail transit through Moldovan territory,” Koretsky said at a joint briefing with Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan on Monday in Kyiv, as reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent.
According to him, over the past eight months, the volume of cargo transported through Moldova has increased significantly, and the volume of transit traffic has tripled.
“We have requested that these conditions be extended into 2027 in order to ensure predictable export flows for both Ukraine and Moldova. I believe this is mutually beneficial—it provides additional revenue for Moldova and further diversification for Ukraine,” stated the head of the Ukrainian government.
Koretsky also noted that, to increase transit volumes, it is proposed to use Ukrainian locomotives and crews on the Ocnita-Beresti section.
“We are also ready to share all the experience of the Ukrainian railway gained during the full-scale invasion—the speed of recovery, response times, repairs, and so on,” he added.
In addition, the countries intend to strengthen security at border crossing points.
“I welcome Moldova’s readiness to launch joint control at two more border crossing points: the temporary Yampil-Coseuți bridge is beneficial to both countries. The main work is expected to be completed by the end of the year,” the prime minister announced.
For his part, the Moldovan prime minister noted that the countries are actively working on developing road and rail corridors—the “European Solidarity Routes”—modernizing border crossing points, and expanding joint border control. “This opens up new opportunities for trade, investment, and the reconstruction of Ukraine,” he emphasized.
The parties are also discussing the situation on the Dniester River, specifically better coordination of water release, taking into account inflow volumes and the water needs of downstream communities.
As previously reported, in August, Ukraine reached an agreement with Moldova on a 50% discount on the transit of Ukrainian cargo by rail through Moldova until the end of 2026.
Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu stated that a possible unification of Romania and the Republic of Moldova depends on the will of the citizens of both countries; however, Bucharest’s current priority remains strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and supporting Moldova’s accession to the European Union. The head of the Romanian government made these remarks on October 27, 2026, in an interview with TVR Moldova during an official visit to Chisinau.
“This will happen when the citizens of both countries want it,” Niculescu said, responding to a question about the prospects for unification.
According to him, there are close historical, cultural, and economic ties between Romania and Moldova, which is why the issue of a possible unification remains a topic of public debate.
At the same time, the prime minister emphasized that the Romanian government is currently focused on further bringing the two countries closer together and accelerating Moldova’s European integration.
Niculescu made his first foreign visit after taking office as Prime Minister of Romania to Chisinau, where he held talks with his Moldovan counterpart, Vasile Tofan, and President Maia Sandu.
During the talks, the parties paid particular attention to expanding trade and economic cooperation, developing energy infrastructure and transportation links, and attracting Romanian investment.
According to Niculescu, trade between Romania and Moldova reached approximately €4.5 billion in 2025. Romanian investments have created about 12,000 jobs in Moldova.
The development of transport corridors across the Prut River remains one of the priorities of bilateral cooperation. The parties discussed accelerating the construction of a bridge in the Ungheni area, modernizing border infrastructure, and organizing joint control at the Cantemir–Fălciu crossing.
In the energy sector, discussions focused on expanding electrical interconnections between the two countries, including the construction of the Bălți–Suceava power line.
In addition, Moldova is interested in purchasing natural gas to be produced on the Romanian Black Sea shelf as part of the Neptun Deep project once it becomes operational.
During the visit, the prime ministers also reviewed the progress of the Chisinau substation modernization project, which is part of the new 157-km Vulcanesti–Chisinau power transmission line.
The new energy infrastructure is expected to strengthen Moldova’s independence from electricity supplies via the Transnistrian region and expand opportunities for imports from the European market.
The parties paid special attention to the participation of Romanian businesses in the Moldovan economy. Industry, energy, technology, and transportation infrastructure were cited as promising areas.
Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan also proposed viewing the country as a platform for Romanian companies to participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction projects.
The issue of regional security was another key topic of the talks against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Tofan stated that the security of Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania is closely intertwined, and that Russian air attacks and airspace violations pose threats to the entire region.
According to the Moldovan prime minister, more than 100 unauthorized overflights have been recorded in the country’s airspace since the start of the full-scale war.
Niculescu confirmed Bucharest’s intention to continue supporting Moldova’s European integration, including facilitating the opening of the remaining negotiation chapters by the end of 2026.
Thus, the Romanian government views economic integration, the development of shared infrastructure, and Moldova’s accession to the EU as priority areas for cooperation. The possible political unification of the two states remains a separate issue, the resolution of which, according to Niculescu’s position, must be based on the will of their citizens.
Romania and the Republic of Moldova share a border approximately 680 km long and have close linguistic and cultural ties. Most of the territory of modern-day Moldova was part of Romania from 1918 to 1940. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Republic of Moldova declared its independence on August 27, 1991. Romania has been a member of the European Union since 2007, while Moldova was granted EU candidate status in June 2022, and official accession negotiations began in June 2024.
The total transit of grains and oilseeds from Ukraine through neighboring Moldova, Slovakia, and Hungary increased by 46.5% in September compared to August, but the bulk of the increase came from Moldova and Slovakia, Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday.
According to his data, transit through Moldova rose by 59.7%—to 107,000 metric tons in September from 67,000 metric tons in August; through Slovakia—by 61.5%, to 336,000 metric tons from 208,000 metric tons; and through Hungary—by 8.5%, to 115,000 metric tons from 106,000 metric tons.
“An increase is possible; we’ll see how much. We’re working on all fronts,” Vysotsky emphasized.
At the same time, he refrained from making any forecasts.
“We’ll report the actual results every month,” the minister noted.
Regarding the prospects for opening a maritime grain corridor, the head of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy stated that “there are currently no signals from our partners that could be interpreted as providing any kind of planning horizon.”
“The situation remains unchanged—no more, no less,” Vysotsky said.
Earlier, the minister reported that in September, Ukraine managed to export 2.4 million metric tons of agricultural products, or 46% of what was supposed to be exported, including 1.4 million metric tons of grain (38%), 444,000 metric tons of oilseeds (83%), oil—311,000 metric tons, or 64%, and meal—280,000 metric tons, or 46% of the potential required exports.
EXPORTS, GRAIN, HUNGARY, MOLDOVA, SLOVAKIA, TRANSIT, UKRAINE
On October 20, Hungary blocked the next stage of the negotiation process regarding Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the European Union by refusing to approve the results of the preliminary review of legislation for the last two outstanding negotiation clusters. Budapest’s position was not supported by the remaining 26 EU countries, according to “European Truth,” citing European diplomats.
The decision was discussed at a meeting of the EU Council’s Working Group on Enlargement (COELA) in Brussels. The participants had planned to approve the results of the screening of Ukrainian and Moldovan legislation regarding negotiation clusters No. 4 and No. 5, which is a necessary procedural step before their official opening.
However, the Hungarian representative refused to support the approval of the documents, despite the position of the other EU member states.
As three European diplomats told The Kyiv Independent, representatives from other countries asked the Hungarian delegation to explain the reasons for the refusal. According to one of the publication’s sources, Budapest did not provide any new arguments, stating only that its position remains unchanged.
At the time of publication, Hungary’s official mission to the EU had not provided the publication with a comment.
The fourth negotiation cluster, “Green Agenda and Sustainable Interconnectivity,” covers transportation policy, energy, trans-European networks, environmental legislation, and the fight against climate change.
The fifth cluster, “Resources, Agriculture, and Cohesion Policy,” involves harmonizing regulations in the areas of agricultural policy, food security, veterinary and phytosanitary controls, fisheries, regional development, as well as financial and budgetary provisions.
Both clusters are of significant importance for Ukraine’s economic integration into the EU, as they concern access for agricultural products to the European market, transportation, energy infrastructure, and future mechanisms for the distribution of European budget funds.
This new impasse occurred one week after the previous progress in the negotiation process.
On October 13, the Council of the EU officially opened two negotiation clusters for Ukraine and Moldova: No. 2, “Internal Market,” and No. 3, “Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth.” These clusters encompass 17 negotiation chapters, including issues related to competition, entrepreneurship, and economic regulation.
As reported by the Council of the EU, at that time, four of the six clusters provided for in the accession procedure had been opened for both countries.
The previous decision became possible after Hungary withdrew its objections to the opening of the second and third clusters following the Verkhovna Rada’s adoption on October 12 of amendments to education legislation concerning the rights of national minorities.
Previously, Budapest had linked the progress of negotiations to ensuring the linguistic and educational rights of the Hungarian community in Zakarpattia.
According to The Kyiv Independent, the current delay may prove to be temporary. European diplomats expect that the remaining two negotiation clusters will be officially opened in December 2026.
Ireland, which will hold the EU Council presidency in the second half of 2026, intends to continue discussing this issue at upcoming meetings of the Enlargement Working Group.
However, Hungary’s October decision does not cancel the negotiation clusters that have already been opened and does not mean the end of accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova. It does, however, delay the necessary harmonization of documents required for both countries to move forward.
Ukraine and Moldova were granted EU candidate status in June 2022. In December 2023, the European Council decided to open negotiations, and the first intergovernmental conference took place in June 2024.
The accession process involves aligning national legislation with EU law, implementing institutional reforms, and negotiating 35 chapters, most of which are grouped into six thematic clusters. The opening of all clusters marks a stage in the negotiations but does not in itself signify the completion of the accession process.
EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, EUROPEAN UNION, HUNGARY, MOLDOVA, UKRAINE
