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Arrest warrants and an EU opening for Moldova
Summary
A look back at 25 June 2024, when the International Criminal Court targeted two senior Russian figures and Moldova's EU path was set to take a step forward.
What happened on 25 June 2024 that mattered for Ukraine and its neighbours? Two developments stood out: a judicial step in The Hague and a diplomatic one for Moldova.
On that date, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Valery Gerasimov, Russia's Chief of the General Staff, and Sergei Shoigu, the former defence minister. The warrants came under the court's investigation in Ukraine.
The same day was also the date announced for the first Moldova–EU intergovernmental conference. Four days earlier, on 21 June 2024, Moldovan president Maia Sandu had signed the decree that began negotiations on Moldova's accession to the European Union. She said at that point that the conference would take place on 25 June.
Together, the two items showed legal and political processes moving on separate tracks: one concerning accountability linked to the war in Ukraine, the other concerning the EU enlargement process for a neighbouring country.
