Moldovan President Maia Sandu is going all in on EU integration successes as she looks to win presidential elections in the fall.

Not only will reabsorbing the breakaway region be expensive and complicated, but Russia is unlikely to cede its influence without a fight.

The de facto state of Transnistria and its dispute with Moldova has always been a peripheral matter for the international community. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it has faded even further into the background.

The prospect of further enlargement presents the EU with multiple institutional, policy, and financial dilemmas. The successful integration of Ukraine and other candidate countries will require pragmatism, reforms, and transitional arrangements.

The European Commission president’s remarks will be a guide for understanding how she might navigate upcoming turbulence.

Russia’s war of aggression has brought Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia closer to EU membership. To play an effective role in the democratization of these three countries, the EU needs a differentiated approach based on the political dynamics of each state.