Moldova may consider unification with Romania as an alternative scenario if negotiations on the country’s accession to the European Union after 2028 are blocked or significantly delayed, reports Euractiv, citing Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalisation, Eugen Osmochescu.
According to Osmochescu, Chisinau’s main objective remains unchanged – to sign an EU accession treaty by the end of 2028. He emphasised that unification with Romania is not the current official scenario, but could be considered a ‘plan B’ if Moldova’s European integration faces insurmountable political obstacles.
This statement reflects growing concern in Chisinau over a possible delay in the EU enlargement process. Moldova was granted EU candidate status in 2022 alongside Ukraine, and the negotiation process depends not only on the implementation of reforms but also on the political decisions of EU member states.
A potential union with Romania remains a sensitive issue in Moldovan politics. Supporters of such a scenario point to the common language, history and culture, as well as the fact that a significant proportion of Moldova’s citizens hold Romanian citizenship. Opponents believe that the issue could exacerbate internal political divisions, complicate relations with part of the population and intensify the Transnistria problem.
For Romania, any discussion of such a scenario also carries complex political and legal implications. Romania is a member of the EU and NATO, so any proposals for border changes, state unification or the incorporation of new territory would require not only decisions by Bucharest and Chisinau, but also consideration of the positions of the European Union, NATO and international partners.
The Transnistrian factor is of particular significance. The left-bank region of the Dniester has not been under the de facto control of Moldova’s central authorities since the early 1990s; a Russian military contingent is present on its territory, and a political settlement of the conflict remains frozen. Any scenario involving Moldova’s accelerated integration into the EU or unification with Romania will inevitably be linked to the question of Transnistria’s status.
That said, Osmochescu’s statement should for now be viewed more as a political signal to Brussels regarding the need to maintain a clear prospect of membership for Moldova, rather than as the start of an official process of unification with Romania. Chisinau is thus signalling that delays in EU enlargement could prompt a search for alternative paths to European integration.
Moldova covers an area of approximately 33,800 square kilometres and has a population of around 2.4–3.0 million people, depending on the methodology used to count and account for citizens living abroad. Romania is a country in South-Eastern Europe, a member of the EU and NATO, with an area of around 238,400 square kilometres and a population of around 18.8–19.1 million people.
Transnistria is an unrecognised entity on the left bank of the Dniester, which declared independence from Moldova in the early 1990s and is not de facto controlled by Chisinau. No UN member state recognises Transnistria’s independence. It is recognised only by other unrecognised or partially recognised entities – Abkhazia and South Ossetia; it was previously also recognised by Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, which ceased to exist following the events of 2023. The international community regards Transnistria as part of the sovereign territory of Moldova.
Moldova ranks among the countries closest to Ukraine not only geographically but also in terms of public perception. According to a survey conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, 60.1% of Ukrainians describe their attitude toward Moldova as positive, a significant increase from 51.3% in August 2025. Thus, over the course of six months, positive perception has increased by nearly 9 percentage points.
The distribution of positive attitudes is fairly even: 22.8% of respondents chose the option “completely positive,” while another 37.3% selected “mostly positive.” This indicates not only a general level of favorability but also that a significant portion of Ukrainians have a well-formed and stable positive perception of Moldova.
At the same time, the share of neutral assessments remains relatively high—32.9%. This is a typical figure for countries that, despite their proximity, are not at the center of the constant information flow. However, even with such a proportion of neutral responses, the overall balance of perception is clearly tilted toward the positive side.
Negative attitudes toward Moldova remain minimal—5.4% in March 2026 (compared to 4.7% in August 2025). Although this figure has risen slightly, it remains at a low level, confirming the absence of significant sources of tension in bilateral perceptions.
The trend indicates a gradual strengthening of Moldova’s positive image in Ukrainian society. The increase in positive sentiment occurred both due to a shift of some neutral assessments toward positive ones and through a general rise in the level of trust in the country.
In a broader context, these results can be explained by the proximity of Ukraine’s and Moldova’s interests, shared security challenges, as well as similar European integration trajectories. In the minds of Ukrainians, Moldova is increasingly perceived as a partner with a similar political and values-based context.
“Attitudes toward Moldova are a telling example of how a stable, positive image of a neighboring country is formed. Here, not only geographical proximity plays an important role, but also a sense of shared interests and a similar strategic course. It is precisely these factors that ensure the long-term strengthening of trust in society,” noted Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Thus, Moldova holds a firm position among countries with a high level of positive perception in Ukraine. Its image is characterized by stability, a low level of negativity, and a gradual increase in trust, making this country one of the most predictable and understandable partners in the region.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center based on data from the State Customs Service, the Republic of Moldova ranks 21st in total trade volume of goods with Ukraine, with a figure of $1.32 billion. At the same time, Ukraine has a clear trade surplus, as exports to Moldova exceed imports by more than seven times.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, MOLDOVA, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
On April 9, 2026, PJSC “Ukrhydroenergo” signed its first agreement since the launch of the “Electricity Import-Export” section on the Ukrainian Energy Exchange (UEEX), the company announced on its Telegram channel on Friday.
“It was Ukrhydroenergo that initiated the auction and sold electricity across the Ukraine-Moldova border,” the company noted.
As explained by the company, this agreement marks an important step in the development of exchange-based electricity trading and the expansion of the organized market’s capabilities. The agreement also has practical significance for the entire power system: a separate exchange section for import-export operations makes such transactions more predictable and transparent, allows for better system balancing amid fluctuating demand and generation, and opens up additional opportunities for attracting external resources or selling surplus electricity. As a result, the system gains greater flexibility, and the market gains clear rules of the game for all participants.
“For Ukrhydroenergo, this agreement is the result of the work of an entire team of specialists, as well as a strategic step toward developing a transparent, competitive electricity market integrated with European practices,” noted Bogdan Sukhetsky, Acting CEO of Ukrhydroenergo.
According to him, by initiating such mechanisms, the company is opening up new opportunities for efficient exports, increasing the liquidity of exchange trading, and strengthening energy cooperation with neighboring countries.
As reported, Ukraine reduced electricity imports by 25% in March compared to the previous month—to 942,100 MWh—and resumed electricity exports, which had last taken place on November 10, 2025. Export volumes in March totaled 30,200 MWh.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presided over a ceremony to receive the credentials of new diplomatic representatives from foreign countries and discussed issues of international security and support for Ukraine.
The newly appointed ambassadors who presented their credentials to Zelenskyy are Ahmed Ouail of Algeria, Alan Deniega of the Philippines, Jeff Bowan of Australia, and Victor Kirile of Moldova. The President congratulated them on the start of their diplomatic missions and thanked them for supporting Ukraine’s independence.
During the meeting, they discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine, the protection of citizens, as well as the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region. According to Zelenskyy, partners emphasize the importance of Ukraine’s security mission and cooperation with countries currently under attack by the Iranian regime.
“Our goal is absolutely clear: we must enhance security everywhere and do everything possible to end the war and ensure reliable protection. We are counting heavily on coordination and mutual support. Ukraine is open to cooperation with everyone who truly values peace,” the president emphasized.
ALGERIA, AMBASSADOR, AUSTRALIA, MOLDOVA, PHILIPPINES, ZELENSKYY
One of Ukraine’s largest grain market operators, Nibulon Joint Venture LLC (Mykolaiv), has expanded the scope of its river fleet cargo transportation on the Danube and opened a new logistics route involving Moldovan ports, the company announced on its Facebook page.
“After entering the markets of the Middle and Upper Danube in 2025, Nibulon opened a new route involving Moldovan ports. The first operation involved the implementation of a comprehensive logistics scheme: a voyage was completed along the route Izmail (Ukraine) – Galați (Romania), transporting 3,600 tons of metallurgical slag,” the statement noted.
According to the company, after unloading, the vessel proceeded to the port of Giurgiulești (Moldova), where it loaded 5,000 tons of rapeseed for further transport to Constanța, Romania. The total volume of cargo transported on the voyage exceeded 8,600 tons.
In addition, Nibulon implemented a two-way logistics scheme involving the delivery of grain from Izmail to Bulgarian ports, with a return load of mineral fertilizers in Serbia for transport to Moldova.
“This format allows us to minimize empty voyages and increase the efficiency of fleet utilization,” the company emphasized.
In total, by the end of 2025, Nibulon had transported over 110,000 tons of cargo via river transport. Its own fleet enables the agricultural holding to transport various types of goods, including agricultural products, fertilizers, slag, and metal, and to adapt routes to market needs.
Before the war, Nibulon cultivated 82,000 hectares of land across 12 regions of Ukraine and exported agricultural products to over 70 countries worldwide. In 2021, the grain trader exported a record 5.64 million tons of agricultural products. After the war began, the company was forced to relocate its headquarters from Mykolaiv to Kyiv. In addition to 23 grain storage complexes, Nibulon has its own road and rail transport capabilities, as well as a fleet built at its own shipyard. During wartime, this fleet continues to carry out river transport operations.
Nibulon is actively developing its own humanitarian demining unit to restore safety on leased lands and assist Ukraine’s agricultural sector. The company is a certified operator of mine action activities.
In July–March of the 2025–2026 marketing year (MY), Ukraine exported 48,300 tons of wheat flour, which is 3% less than in the same period of the previous season, when shipments totaled 49,800 tons, the Ukrainian Flour Millers Association reported on Facebook.
The industry association noted that EU countries accounted for about 35% of exports, although in the previous season the European market’s share was significantly higher, reaching 44%.
The top five consumers of Ukrainian flour for the first nine months of the 2025/26 marketing year included Moldova, which imported 14,900 tons, Palestine – 9.2 thousand tons, the Czech Republic – 7.4 thousand tons, Israel – 4.4 thousand tons, and Spain – 4.2 thousand tons.
“Flour Millers of Ukraine” also pointed to an increase in wheat flour imports to Ukraine. Thus, during the reporting period, nearly 2.3 thousand tons of the product were purchased on foreign markets, which is 21% higher than the figure for the same period last year, when 1.9 thousand tons were imported.
CZECH REPUBLIC, FLOUR, ISRAEL, MOLDOVA, PALESTINE, SPAIN, Ukrainian Flour Millers
