The international locations of the Western Balkans deserve robust assist as they transfer ahead on their path to European Union membership, Germany's prime diplomat mentioned on Monday, singling out the dangers posed by Moscow to the area's stability.
Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned that the EU can’t afford what she referred to as “gray areas” of safety.
“We can’t enable grey areas wherever in Europe and we should do all the things we will collectively to shut the flanks that Russia can use for its coverage of destabilization, disinformation and infiltration,” he mentioned earlier than leaving for Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“This contains supporting the international locations of the Western Balkans to strengthen their democratic establishments, enhance their resilience and provide folks financial prospects,” Baerbock added.
Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, along with Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo, type the Western Balkans.
The European Union urges international locations to observe the required reforms for integration with the political and financial bloc of 27 members.
Brussels sees Montenegro as essentially the most superior within the accession course of, however the tempo is gradual.
Montenegro's negotiations had been launched in 2012. Even in essentially the most bold eventualities, the EU shouldn’t be anticipated to confess new members by the top of the last decade on the earliest.
In December 2022, Bosnia-Herzegovina was granted EU candidate nation standing, however negotiations haven’t but begun.
“It has grow to be a geopolitical necessity, particularly within the face of Russia's brutal imperialism, that we do all the things we will to assist the six states within the area on their solution to be a part of the European Union,” mentioned Baerbock.
“[As the EU, we have] the frequent activity of getting in form for the long run as we put extra chairs on the European desk,” he mentioned.
Baerbock will maintain talks in Montenegro's capital Podgorica with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Overseas Minister Filip Ivanović and President Jakov Milatović.
Prime Minister Spajić and President Milatović have led Montenegro since 2023 and, like their predecessors, are declared pro-European. Nonetheless, Spajić might solely be elected with the assist of small pro-Russian and pro-Serb events.
In a while Monday night, in Sarajevo, Baerbock will meet the members of Bosnia's tripartite presidency and Christian Schmidt, the excessive consultant of the worldwide group that oversees the peace in Bosnia.
