The European Parliament approved on October 5 a resolution urging the launching of membership talks between Moldova and the European Union by year-end. Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, gained EU candidate status in June 2022. The resolution said Moldova's current pro-Western government "has demonstrated its determination and ability to fulfil the European Commission’s requirements to begin membership talks." European lawmakers said Moldova's accession "would represent a geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe" and urged the Moldovan government to continue reforms to achieve a "tangible improvement" in the living standards of the country's 2.6 million people.
