Greece Reaffirms Strong Support for Moldova's European Union Accession

On Monday, December 15, 2025, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis hosted Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Athens, an engagement that formalized the Hellenic Republic's commitment to Moldova's strategic goal of European Union integration. This high-level meeting followed Moldova's September 2025 parliamentary elections, in which President Sandu's pro-European faction secured a legislative majority, a result achieved despite documented external interference in the electoral process.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis congratulated President Sandu on the recent election outcome, specifically noting the clear democratic mandate expressed by the Moldovan electorate in resisting attempted manipulation. International observers had noted that while competitive, the elections were affected by hybrid threats, including illegal financing, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns linked to Russia. Greece views the expansion of the European Union to include Moldova as a strategic imperative for its own national interests, and Mitsotakis confirmed his intention to actively advocate for this enlargement at the upcoming European Council session.

To facilitate the accession process, Greece formally offered specialized technical expertise to assist Moldova in harmonizing its national legislation with the comprehensive European acquis communautaire, acknowledging the significant progress the nation has already made. Bilateral discussions also heavily emphasized bolstering energy cooperation, focusing specifically on the development of the Vertical Corridor and finalizing new import agreements for American Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). This cooperation supports broader EU efforts to diversify energy supplies away from Russian hydrocarbons, positioning Greece as a key regional energy security provider.

The Vertical Gas Corridor, a major infrastructure initiative involving Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova, and Ukraine, is designed to establish a north-south natural gas transmission network across Southeastern and Central Europe, with a target completion date set for 2026. This system will repurpose existing pipelines, such as the Trans-Balkan pipeline, to enable bidirectional gas flow, primarily of regasified LNG from southern entry points in Greece northward. Greece's role as a U.S. LNG gateway is being solidified through infrastructure investments, including a second LNG terminal, which is vital for channeling U.S. energy to the region as part of the strategy to phase out Russian gas.

Beyond energy strategy, both leaders committed to deepening economic engagement between Athens and Chișinău. Greece signaled readiness to deploy its experience to attract foreign investment into the Moldovan economy, offering expertise in project development, particularly through mechanisms like the GrowthFund – Project Preparation Facility, to strengthen Moldova's institutional capacity to implement its EU Growth Plan, which has already seen approximately 300 million euros disbursed. Concluding their dialogue, the Greek Prime Minister underscored the mutual responsibility to uphold peace and stability across the European continent, framing enlargement as a strategic investment in regional security. The well-integrated Moldovan diaspora in Greece was also acknowledged for its important role in the bilateral relationship.