Moldova Plans Visa Rules for Russians and Belarusians in EU Alignment Push

Moldova intends to fully adopt the European Union's sanctions regime against Russia and Belarus, Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi said at an EU enlargement conference on Monday. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan added last week that visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian nationals will eventually be introduced as part of the country's EU integration process.

Key facts

• Moldova plans to fully align with EU sanctions on Russia and Belarus
• The country has already matched 91% of those EU sanctions
• Visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian nationals are planned, but no deadlines have been set
• Moldova submitted its EU membership bid in 2022 and began accession negotiations two years later
• The target for joining the bloc is 2030

What is changing?

Popșoi said the country "will fully align with the EU's sanctions policy" on Russia and Belarus. He noted that Moldova has already matched 91% of the EU measures against the two countries, with what he described as a small lag in the sectoral sanctions package introduced in 2014. Work is under way to find the necessary solutions and mechanisms to close that gap, he said.

Who is affected?

The planned visa requirement would apply to nationals of Russia and Belarus travelling to Moldova. Tofan told local television that if EU norms require this, decisions must be made to allow the country to advance its European integration. He said he was not ready to name specific deadlines.

When do the new rules start?

No start date has been announced for either the full sanctions alignment or the visa requirement. Tofan declined to give a timeline, saying only that the measures would come as EU norms require them.

Why is this happening?

Moldova submitted its EU membership bid after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and began official accession negotiations two years later, with 2030 set as the target for joining the bloc. Full alignment with EU sanctions policy is presented as part of that process.

The plan has drawn criticism from Moldova's pro-Russian opposition. Former president and socialist party leader Igor Dodon accused the ruling pro-EU party of taking destabilising steps, writing on Facebook on Tuesday that the policy would bring nothing but new suffering to the population.

What this means for travellers

Russian and Belarusian nationals planning travel to Moldova should follow official announcements for any future visa requirement, since no date or application procedure has been published. Travellers of other nationalities are not affected by the measures described in the source.

Separately, President Maia Sandu on Sunday inaugurated a power line connecting the Moldovan electricity grid directly to neighbouring Romania, allowing Moldova to bypass electricity supplied by the Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria. Sandu said the country buys zero Russian gas.