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Tag: European integration

The Trump syndrome and the Maia Sandu antidote: lessons for Europe’s small states and middle powers from Moldova’s international leadership

As the global order is reshaped by strongman tendencies in both East and West, smaller states must learn to adapt to protect both their position and values. One clear example of this comes from Moldova, where local leadership is now exporting its own success story regarding democratization.

March 19, 2026 - Răzvan Foncea

A test of Sandu’s success

Have Moldova’s ruling leaders correctly interpreted the outcome of the recent elections? If they take the results as proof of their own infallibility and political invincibility, the country’s European path could encounter serious obstacles. This is especially true as Russia may change its approach towards Moldova. And that is hardly good news.

December 8, 2025 - Piotr Oleksy

One year of Georgia’s unbreakable resistance, as told by its prisoners of conscience

Georgian citizens continue to fight for their freedoms in a political environment that is becoming increasingly authoritarian under the ruling Georgian Dream party. This is particularly true for the country’s prisoners of conscience, who remain resolute in their fight for a free and democratic Georgia.

December 5, 2025 - Anastasia Mgaloblishvili Anri Gorgiladze

Armenia’s pivot to the EU

On March 26th 2025 the Armenian parliament passed a law declaring its intention to apply for membership of the European Union. Although the law does not constitute a formal application for EU membership, it is a clear signal of Armenia’s willingness to move out of Russia’s orbit and develop closer relations with the West. However, the path to closer European integration is fraught with obstacles.

In recent years, Armenia has expressed a strong political will to deepen its relations with the EU. In a speech to the European Parliament on October 17th 2023 the prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, stated that “Armenia is ready to move as close to the EU as the EU deems possible.” The foreign minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, reiterated this in November 2023 after the European Commission recommended granting candidate status to neighbouring Georgia, stating that the Armenian people have European aspirations and are committed to closer relations with the EU. Abandoned by its traditional security ally Russia, these statements clearly underline Armenia's willingness to turn away from Moscow.

July 8, 2025 - Leonie Nienhaus

Brussels and/or Beijing? Moldova’s opening holds promises and risks

Moldova’s recent turn towards Europe has helped to put the local economy on the map. While the country continues to pursue western integration, there is also an opportunity to benefit from stronger links with China. However, such engagement comes with as many risks as rewards.

On a crisp autumn afternoon in Moldova, a Yandex cab driver drives his BYD car through the streets of Chișinău. “It’s as good as a Lexus,” he said, nodding toward the car’s clean lines and smooth handling. BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has rapidly expanded its global footprint and its presence in Moldova tells a compelling story. Affordable, efficient and durable, BYD cars are outpacing western rivals in emerging markets.

February 28, 2025 - Anda Bologa

There will be no peace in Europe with Putin in power

A conversation with Borja Lasheras, advisor on Ukraine to Joseph Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Interviewer: Iwona Reichardt

November 22, 2024 - Borja Lasheras Iwona Reichardt

North Macedonia’s EU membership drifts further away

For the third consecutive decade, North Macedonia finds itself at a critical crossroads. The newly elected government is grappling with a myriad of challenges related to EU integration and its relations with neighbouring countries. The situation has only gotten worse since the EU decided to decouple North Macedonia’s membership bid from Albania.

"Anticipated but painful" – this sentiment captures the reaction of many Macedonians upon hearing the news that the European Union has decoupled the country from Albania on the road to EU membership. For years, both nations had advanced together and the announcement came as a disappointment to many. It is clear that North Macedonia was once seen as a frontrunner in EU integration. However, due to unresolved bilateral disputes with neighbours and missteps by its political leadership throughout the years, the country now finds itself lagging behind in a region that is steadily moving forward.

November 21, 2024 - Jovan Gjorgovski

Why Serbia is a country of contradictions

Serbia has become well known for its geopolitical position between East and West. Despite this, sharp divides also exist at every level of the country’s society. While Belgrade has eagerly embraced a neoliberal model, it still promotes its role as a defender of traditional values. The effects of such contradictions can be seen throughout Serbia.

Serbia is a country of contradictions. It is very close to the European Union, in fact almost in the centre of Europe, but at the same time it is very far from it. Serbian labour migrants have always chosen Western Europe as a destination for emigration, but the heart of the nation beats in the East, with a cultural and sentimental link to Russia. In Serbia, joining the EU is more a matter of national and social prestige – joining a club of rich and well-ordered countries – than a necessity. To the contrary, many of the rules laid down by the EU are seen as an obstacle and a hindrance to EU candidates.

November 21, 2024 - Christian Eccher

High time for Armenia’s Euro-Atlantic integration

Following the end of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, it is clear that Armenia is embracing the possibility of Euro-Atlantic integration. While the country still faces many internal and external problems, a desire for closer links is clear at the levels of both state and society.

April 29, 2024 - Valentina Gevorgyan

Minority communities and their future in Ukraine – the case of Roma

Today, all of Ukraine’s communities are fighting to protect the country from Russian aggression. This includes the Roma, an ethnic group that faces particular challenges in relation to their place in society. The integration of Roma, both now and after the end of the war, will be a key test regarding the success of a new Ukraine.

Ukraine is home to more than 100 national minorities and communities. Members of these communities are victims of Russia’s full-scale aggression just as much as the members of the majority population. The communities in Ukraine also participate in defending Ukraine against the Russian aggressors. Crimean Tatars, Greeks, Hungarians, Roma, Koreans, Romanians, Moldavians, and individuals from various other communities are fighting on the frontline. They often stand together with Jews and Muslims, who are defending the country alongside their Christian and Atheist neighbours.

April 11, 2024 - Natali Tomenko Stephan Müller Volodomyr Yakovenko

What role can Romania play in facilitating Western Balkan integration?

Recent geopolitical developments have resulted in renewed discussions on the enlargement of the European Union – including in the Western Balkans. Many factors will determine how these talks go in 2024 but some local actors may have significant input. Through its experience, Romania can be one of these actors and play a unique role in this process.

The new geopolitical context stemming from Russia’s ongoing brutal war on European soil has had profound effects on the geopolitical dynamics of the European Union’s enlargement. After many years of inertia and stagnation, enlargement seems to be back at the top of the EU agenda. The geopolitical decision made by the European Council in June 2022 to grant Ukraine and Moldova candidate status was followed by the (re-)opening of previously stagnating accession negotiations with the countries of the Western Balkans (Albania and various ex-Yugoslav states).

February 7, 2024 - Marius Ghincea Miruna Butnaru-Troncotă

Questioning the irreversibility of European integration: implications for Moldova

For most of the last 30 years, the process of European integration has been seen as an irreversible one, with the creation of a strong justice system through reforms and the guarantee of the rule of law being one of the key endpoints. The assertion that "the process of European integration is irreversible" has long been present in the public space and has been taken over by the pro-European government in Chisinau. However, recent experiences of some European countries prove otherwise and demonstrate that democracy is not guaranteed, even in the European Union.

September 25, 2023 - Cristian Bolotnicov

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