Officials from four Western Balkan countries – Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia – have launched a new initiative, dubbed “Western Balkans QUAD – 100% compliance with EU foreign policy”. , during a meeting in Skopje on March 29.
The aim of the meeting was full compliance by the four countries with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) “in light of the new geopolitical reality, hybrid threats, the energy crisis and the consequences economic damage caused by the Russian invasion of the EU. Ukraine,” said a statement from the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The four EU candidate countries were quick to impose sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine a year ago, and also provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Serbia, which has good relations with Moscow, has refused to join the sanctions, despite being under pressure to align with EU foreign policy. Efforts by some Bosnian leaders to adhere to sanctions have been thwarted by Bosnian Serb leaders, who also have close relations with Russia.
The platform was launched by Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania Olta Xhacka, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo Kreshnik Ahmeti and Advisor in foreign policy of the Prime Minister of Montenegro. Djordje Radulovic.
“After the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, alignment with the CSDP, but more broadly with the positions and values of the democratic world, has become one of the most important priorities of countries aspiring to “accession to the EU, but also a priority. a clear message on the place of these countries,” Osmani said, according to the press release.
“(Today) in #Skopje we launched #WB QUAD with 100% alignment with #CFSP. Platform for closer cooperation. among the countries which fully respect the #EU CFSP, but also more broadly democratic values and principles,” he wrote on Twitter.
“An excellent initiative from Minister @Bujar_O (Osmani). We look forward to deepening our cooperation in the Western Balkans QUAD,” Ahmeti wrote on Twitter.
