The leaders of the Western Balkan countries - Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia - are meeting in Brussels on Wednesday 18 December for a summit chaired by António Costa, his first summit since taking office as President of the European Council.
The institutions insist that this summit is not directly concerned with the enlargement process, but is an opportunity to reaffirm Europe’s position towards the Western Balkans, particularly in view of the geopolitical situation, the region’s economic development and the hybrid threats coming from Russia.
For the EU, this summit reflects the new momentum generated by the strategic rapprochement between the two regions.
Without talking about enlargement in the technical sense, the leaders are expected to address a number of issues linked to the gradual integration of the Western Balkans into the EU: the growth plan, common foreign and security policy alignment, mitigating the repercussions of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as migration and organised crime.
According to one European diplomat, the Western Balkans summit could become a “useful habit”, as it provides an opportunity to take stock of “the instruments for rapprochement, the resources made available and the conditions for reform”.
It is also taking place at a geopolitical moment when there is a greater interest in accelerating and capitalising on the latest developments, according to the diplomatic corps.
The dinner will be an opportunity for the leaders to exchange views on the geopolitical context, which is particular in view of the situation in the region. There is a common interest, says a European diplomat, who believes that everyone, whether in the Balkan countries or the EU, is facing information manipulation, hybrid attacks and a sense of danger over electoral processes.
Sensitive issues such as relations between Kosovo and Serbia and constitutional reform in North Macedonia are not expected to be discussed as such during the meeting.
The agenda includes a working session from 5.45pm, followed by dinner.
A joint declaration is expected at the end of the summit, which should conclude at around 10pm. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)