EU Roadmaps: Moldova Advances Faster Than Ukraine
Brussels documents show Moldova closing chapters in 2027 while Ukraine delays starts due to lower reform progress.
By Lucas Navarro ·
European Commission roadmaps published on November 4 indicate that Moldova has moved ahead of Ukraine in the process of joining the European Union.
The documents assess the progress of ten candidate countries and place Ukraine among the four with the greatest gains. However, internal rankings show Moldova leading the group, with Ukraine listed in fourth place.
In previous years, both nations followed similar tracks toward membership. The recent shift reflects differences in how quickly each country meets interim criteria. Moldovan officials are described as well advanced in meeting these benchmarks. The European Commission has drafted a positive statement on the Interim Benchmark Assessment Report for Moldova. This document will be sent to member states for approval soon.
For Ukraine, the assessment notes that improvements in anti-corruption measures occurred despite, rather than because of, actions taken by the authorities. The Commission did not predict when negotiations would conclude for either country. The goal is for Ukraine to accelerate its pace of reforms.
The roadmap for Ukraine plans to begin closing negotiation chapters at the end of the first quarter of 2027. Given the current low progress in implementing interim benchmarks, this timeline is considered ambitious by analysts. The document does not specify a completion date for Ukraine.
Moldova’s plan is more specific and aggressive. The roadmap envisions closing nine chapters in the first half of 2027. It projects that an additional sixteen chapters will be closed by the end of the year. This totals twenty-five chapters closed in a single year.
The European Commission’s introductory sections for both countries remain largely identical. The distinction lies in the specific schedules and benchmarks outlined in the descriptive parts of the roadmaps.
