Costa Backs EU Entry for 6 Western Balkan States as Summit Seeks to Counter Russia, China
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 1
Costa Backs EU Entry for 6 Western Balkan States as Summit Seeks to Counter Russia, China
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 1
Friday’s EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat will be used to show the bloc’s enlargement offer is genuine, António Costa said at the start of a regional tour in Bosnia.
Costa called enlargement a geostrategic interest for Europe, arguing that global instability and rising Russian and Chinese influence make accession a security and stability investment.
Six candidates — Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro — are at different stages, with Montenegro and Albania currently leading the accession process.
Bosnia remains a weak link, still split along ethnic lines after the 1992-95 war that killed more than 100,000 people, while its pro-Russia Bosnian Serb leadership keeps pressing for greater autonomy.
Costa also tied Bosnia’s EU path to this week’s choice of a new High Representative, urging leaders to speed reforms in a process that requires all 27 EU members to approve each of 35 policy chapters.
Can EU membership promises truly win the Western Balkans away from growing Russian and Chinese influence?
Will 'gradual integration' fast-track Balkan nations into the EU, or create a permanent 'waiting room'?
As the EU expands to counter Russia, can its own institutions handle the strain of new members?
EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans: Renewed Momentum, Geopolitical Stakes, and the Reform Dilemma (2025–2026)
Overview
The Western Balkans are seeing renewed momentum for European integration, highlighted by high-level visits such as European Council President António Costa’s recent tour and regional summits. This push is driven by the EU’s intensified focus on the region, as enlargement is now seen as a strategic response to growing external influences from Russia and China, especially amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. To counter these pressures, the EU and partners are mobilizing support for energy and infrastructure projects, aiming to help the region diversify away from Russian energy and strengthen stability, while maintaining strict standards for reforms and integration.