High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Joseph Borrell organized an informal meeting with Western Balkan leaders in New York on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This year, all six presidents of the region were present. These informal meetings take place regularly as part of enhanced foreign policy cooperation with Western Balkan partners. They also provide the opportunity to exchange views on the region’s challenges and its European future.
The discussion focused on the current global geopolitical challenges dominating the UN agenda this week, and also covered enlargement and ideas around the gradual integration of partners into the European Union.
High Representative Borrell and Western Balkan leaders discussed how to jointly address the harmful consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine on food and energy prices, as well as on the stability and security in Europe and around the world. High Representative Borrell highlighted the EU’s support to the Western Balkan countries by fully involving the region in its initiatives to mitigate the impact of Russian aggression and addressing other challenges, including energy security, food security and climate change.
High Representative Borrell underlined the importance of close cooperation in multilateral fora. In this context, he recalled that the European Union counts on all candidate countries as reliable partners also in matters of foreign, security and defense policy, including alignment with EU decisions in these areas.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss expectations regarding EU membership at a time when EU enlargement policy has gained new momentum. The High Representative reiterated the EU’s strong and continued support – political, technical and financial – to all current and potential candidates to help them advance the key political, institutional, social and economic reforms that are necessary to move forward on the path to the EU.
The President of Albania Bajram Begajthe President of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zeljko Komšićthe president of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani-Sadriuthe president of Montenegro Jakov Milatovicthe president of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski and the president of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić participated in the meeting.
