Moldova Readies Full Alignment With EU Sanctions on Russia and Belarus

Nov. 10, 2026 Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi. Gov.md Moldova said it plans to fully join the EU’s sanctions regime against Russia and Belarus as it seeks to become a member of the bloc sometime in the coming years. “The country will fully align with the EU’s sanctions policy, including on Russia and Belarus,” Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency at an EU enlargement conference on Monday. Popșoi said Moldova has already matched 91% of EU sanctions against the two countries, with a “small lag” in the sectoral sanctions package introduced in 2014. “We’re currently working to find solutions and the necessary mechanisms,” he said. Moldova submitted an EU membership bid after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. It began official accession negotiations two years later, with 2030 as the target to join the bloc. Last week, Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said Chisinau will eventually introduce visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian nationals as part of its EU integration process. “I’m not ready to name specific deadlines. If EU norms require this, I believe we must make decisions that will allow us to advance in the process of European integration,” Tofan told local television. The planned EU alignment has drawn criticism from Moldova’s pro-Russian opposition, with former president and socialist party leader Igor Dodon accusing the ruling pro-EU party of destabilizing steps. “What benefits will our country get from such a hostile policy? It will bring nothing but new suffering to the population,” Dodon wrote Tuesday on Facebook. Meanwhile, on Sunday, President Maia Sandu inaugurated a major power line connecting the Moldovan electric grid directly to neighboring Romania, allowing Moldova to bypass electricity supplied by the Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria. “For decades, Moscow used energy to blackmail us,” Sandu wrote on X. “No more. Moldova buys zero Russian gas.” The U.S. Embassy in Chisinau said last month that the power line would be called the “Trump Liberty Line.” Moldova’s government said it had no objection to the name idea. AFP contributed reporting. Read more about: Moldova , Sanctions , European Union , Belarus Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more This Belarusian Firm Supplies Western Tech Giants Like Apple – And Russia's Defense Industry Izovac and its affiliates have supplied some $200 million in equipment to Russian defense contractors since the invasion of Ukraine, according to an investigation... 4 Min read EU Moves to Sanction Russia Over Hybrid Attacks The move will allow the EU to impose visa bans and asset freezes on those responsible for the attacks. 2 Min read EU Toughens Sanctions on Belarus to Tackle Evasion Officials say Belarus has acted as a backdoor to get sanctioned products from the bloc into Russia, as they could be officially exported to Belarus. 2 Min read Tech Billionaire Volozh to Remain Under EU Sanctions – Bloomberg The Yandex co-founder is expected to be kept on the EU’s sanctions list for “another six months at least,” according to a Bloomberg source. 1 Min read