European Union and Western Balkans leaders met in Brussels on Wednesday for a high-level summit aimed at strengthening strategic ties and advancing the EU enlargement agenda, with officials emphasising the strategic importance of bringing the region into the bloc.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa greeted leaders from Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
The European Commission said in November that the EU could welcome new members as early as 2030, praising Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova for their reform progress.
Ahead of the summit, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola emphasised that EU enlargement is not a distant prospect.
“It is real, it is here, and it must happen. If we fail to recognise that enlargement is key for our geopolitical security, we risk meeting again in six months with no progress,” she said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban highlighted Serbia as a pivotal country.
“The enlargement process has failed over the past four years. Serbia has not moved an inch, while North Macedonia has made small progress. The Western Balkans are an economic gold reserve for the EU and play a key role in migration management,” Orban said.
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani warned of external influence.
“The more Western Balkans countries advance towards the EU, the safer the Union. Ignoring our progress allows powers like Russia, China, and Iran to expand their influence, which is against the interests of both the Balkans and the EU.”
However, Montenegro President Jakov Milatovic expressed optimism for EU membership.
“We hope to join the EU as the 28th member state by 2028. The drafting of our accession treaty during Cyprus’ EU Council presidency will be a major step toward full membership.”
Agenda and strategic priorities
The summit underlined the political and economic importance of EU-Western Balkans relations. Leaders reaffirmed full support for the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans and assessed progress in reforms, alignment with EU law (‘acquis’), regional cooperation, and good neighbourly relations.
Gradual integration and growth plan
The EU continues to support gradual integration of Western Balkan partners across multiple policy areas. The 2023 Growth Plan aims to further integrate the region into the EU single market, enhance economic cooperation, and encourage reforms, with up to €6 billion allocated for investments. Successful implementation is expected to accelerate economic growth and socio-economic convergence with the EU.
Foreign policy, security, and defence
Leaders reiterated solidarity with Ukraine and support for partners aligning with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Discussions included cooperation on security, defence, resilience to hybrid and cyber threats, and countering foreign interference and disinformation.
Migration and crime cooperation
Shared responsibilities were addressed in migration management, visa policy, combating human trafficking, border management, fighting corruption, organised crime, drug trafficking, and preventing terrorism and violent extremism.
Regular EU-Western Balkans summits have been held since 2018, with the last meeting in Brussels in December 2024.
The next summit is scheduled for June 2026 in Montenegro.
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Global oil prices continue to rise, currently surpassing $119 a barrel this Monday, an almost four year high following fresh U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting oil depots. Stock markets shares slumped on fears the conflict with Iran could disrupt shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian civilian and military officials have pledged their obedience to the new leader, Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, with President Masoud Pezeshkian saying his leadership “will herald a new era of dignity and authority for the Iranian nation.”.
Kazakhstan has evacuated more than 7,300 citizens from the Middle East since regional tensions escalated, using both air and land routes to bring nationals home while closely monitoring political developments and potential economic effects linked to rising oil prices.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
Global oil prices continue to rise, currently surpassing $119 a barrel this Monday, an almost four year high following fresh U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting oil depots. Stock markets shares slumped on fears the conflict with Iran could disrupt shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further attacks on Iran on Saturday (7 March), while the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continued to shoot down missiles in their airspace. Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would stop attacking its neighbours.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Norwegian police are searching for a suspect after an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo on 8 March caused minor damage but no injuries, in what authorities say may have been a deliberate attack linked to the Middle East crisis.
An explosion damaged a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège early on Monday (9 March) in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
The Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers will meet on Monday to discuss a global rise in oil prices and a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, the Financial Times reports.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 9th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Global oil prices continue to rise, currently surpassing $119 a barrel this Monday, an almost four year high following fresh U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting oil depots. Stock markets shares slumped on fears the conflict with Iran could disrupt shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
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