Description: European leaders gathered in Montenegro for the annual EU – Western Balkans Summit, where several accelerated accession proposals were discussed. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, EU Commission President Ursula von der Layen and European Council President Antonio Kosta were just several of the prominent leaders attending the summit. Merz publicly proposed an accelerated timeframe for EU integration of the Western Balkans region through programs such as enabling the countries to have an observer status in EU policy meetings. Von der Layen and Kosta reiterated that integration of the Western Balkan countries represented a geopolitical and geostrategic priority for the EU due to the increased economic and political influence of global rivals such as Russi and China in the region.
Impact: The EU – Western Balkans Summit, likely represented a formal political positioning from Europe towards the region with insignificant diplomatic posturing that spells integration. Montenegro is the likeliest next EU member, due to rapid national reformation and the country’s own geostrategic importance on the Adriatic Sea. Albania’s accession ambitions were abruptly disrupted by the current anti – government protests, however, the country remains the second likeliest candidate to join the EU in the mid – term. Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Hercegovina remain on the margins of EU accession talks due to internal backtracking of strategic priorities, bilateral issues and in case of Serbia, large – scale infiltration of Russian and Chinese political and economic influence.