The European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová, in an op-ed for RBC-Ukraine, has spoken out against the common practice of comparing the progress of Kyiv and Chisinau on their paths to EU membership. According to her, the conditions for accession are identical for both countries, but the circumstances under which they implement reforms differ fundamentally. The diplomat emphasized that another round of comparisons does not help move key legislation through the Verkhovna Rada.
Same Criteria, Different Realities
Mathernová acknowledged that Moldova deserves recognition for its reforms and has progressed further in meeting interim rule-of-law requirements. However, she reminded that the same conditions for EU membership apply to both countries. The difference, in her assessment, lies not in the standards to be reached, but in the context of their implementation: one country is reforming in peacetime, while the other is doing so during a full-scale war.
Reforms Under Fire
"Ukraine is carrying out reforms while defending its people and territory from Russia’s full-scale invasion. In doing so, it is also helping to protect peace in Europe," the EU Ambassador stated. This argument, by her logic, makes a direct comparison of timelines and pace incorrect: the institutional burden on a state fighting a defensive war is incomparable to that of a country not facing an external military threat.
What Really Moves the Process
Mathernová suggested shifting the focus from rhetorical comparisons to a specific list of legislative initiatives. According to her, a useful question is exactly what laws Ukraine needs to pass and implement promptly to begin closing negotiating chapters. It is this pragmatic approach, the Ambassador assesses, that can accelerate the process, whereas public debates about "lagging behind Moldova" only distract from the work on texts and procedures.
Context: EC Assessment and Moldovan President's Statement
Mathernová's position comes against the backdrop of a recent European Commission statement that noted Ukraine's lag behind Moldova on the path to EU membership. The reason cited was insufficient progress in the fight against corruption. Moldovan President Maia Sandu, speaking after the opening of a new power transmission line connecting Moldova with Romania and the European energy grid, stated that Chisinau could finish accession negotiations by the beginning of 2028, while Kyiv, by her estimate, would need an additional year beyond the planned schedule.
The Energy Factor and Symbolic Significance
The timing of Sandu's statement—the ceremony launching the energy link with Romania—is no coincidence: the physical connection to the European energy system became for Moldova not only an infrastructure project but also a political symbol of integration. For Ukraine, whose energy sector has been subjected to systematic strikes for several years, similar demonstrations of progress are difficult, further complicating the public comparison of the two trajectories. Nevertheless, as the EU Ambassador emphasizes, the criteria remain common, and it is their fulfillment, not comparison with a neighbor, that determines the pace of movement toward Brussels negotiations.
