Zelensky asks EU for extra $79 billion to sustain Ukraine’s war effort

On October 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the European Union to maintain the membership processes of Ukraine and Moldova intertwined, despite the potential delay for Moldova during a period of reform efforts led by Kyiv. Both nations are among the European Union's top contenders for future membership, and earlier that week, they advanced their integration progress.

The EU has previously tied the membership bids of Ukraine and Moldova together, an informal political decision that EU leaders expected to lift once both countries completed six enlargement clusters – lists of reforms necessary for full alignment with the bloc. Zelensky argued that linking the membership bids for Ukraine and Moldova is morally correct, emphasizing Kyiv's role in protecting Moldova from Russia's influence through the Russian-occupied Transnistria region.

The Ukrainian leader highlighted the significant security and intelligence resources required to achieve this objective. While there has been no public reaction from Moldova regarding the proposed unity of membership bids, senior EU officials working on the enlargement process have informed the Kyiv Independent that Moldova is advancing integration faster than any country since Hungary in 2002.

However, EU leaders overnight adopted conclusions that suggested a potential separation of the Moldovan and Ukrainian accession bids, emphasizing that the accession process is merit-based and each candidate country advances based on its individual progress. For the time being, the next step for both countries is to unlock the remaining two enlargement clusters, expected to occur before the end of the year.