A Window of Opportunity with an Existential Stake: The European integration of the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

In the context of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, an opportunity, previously seen as unrealistic, arose: The Republic of Moldova received an EU candidate status in June 2022. As the Chisinau administration is currently the most pro-European in the country's history, and considering the great mobilisation towards integration on Brussels's side, it is a very relevant endeavour to analyse Moldova's main opportunities and barriers. This paper looks at the European integration process within the Republic of Moldova, by analysing their historical evolution (both within the Soviet Union and post-Soviet).