The discussion was due to simply be “strategic”, with no decisions expected. Far from being the most sensitive subject on the agenda of the European Summit on Thursday 18 December, enlargement was nevertheless addressed, in a discussion that mainly highlighted the geopolitical stakes involved in the accession of new members to the EU.
“We see four countries in the lead: Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania. And we hope that all of them will have the opportunity not only to enter into negotiations, but also to move closer to the European Union in the years to come. For me, the target date for Ukraine would be 2030, but I see in the peace plan an even more optimistic date [2027 - editor’s note]”, declared the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, ahead of the meeting.
Ukraine, whose accession to the EU Europeans hope to be able to speed up, is however blocked by Hungarian opposition (see EUROPE 13774/29).
At this stage, Montenegro remains the country closest to EU membership (see EUROPE 13774/30). While the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins on 1 January 2026, hopes to begin drafting the accession treaty, the Irish are looking squarely at the possibility of integration during their rotating Presidency at the end of 2026.
“In particular, we believe that Montenegro could be in a position to join the European Union by the end of our Presidency, and we would like to see all the chapters closed. This will be one of the objectives of the Irish Presidency”, said Micheál Martin, the Irish Prime Minister.
The question of Serbia, whose good relations with Moscow are increasingly irritating Europeans, remains a delicate one. According to a senior European official, the leaders agree that “despite persistent internal challenges, Serbia has made concrete progress this year in the area of reforms in favour of accession”.
This view is shared by French President Emmanuel Macron, who goes even further. "Serbia is at a turning point in terms of the decisions it must make regarding its dependence on Russian fossil fuels. It has made some important announcements. And we support the fact that in the coming weeks, a new cluster (of negotiating chapters) could be opened. This is in line with the Commission's analysis, but also accompanies a courageous move to clarify matters in this regard”, he said at the end of the summit.
Belgrade's long-standing refusal to align itself with European sanctions against Moscow is partly due to its energy dependence on Russia (EUROPE 13771/23). Progress on opening a cluster could tip the balance of Serbian interests in favour of the EU.
The final conclusions do not differ from those already published in our pages (see EUROPE 13775/4). European leaders continue to stress “the importance of enlargement as a geostrategic investment in the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the EU”.
The European Commission is still invited to present “its in-depth reviews of (internal) policies”, so that the process of reforms necessary for the proper functioning of the Union of more than thirty members can be launched.
Link to the conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/K3L (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre with the editorial staff)