European Council President António Costa visited the Western Balkans in May, reaffirming the EU's commitment to the region. His tour included stops in Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania. Costa emphasized the importance of EU accession for the Western Balkan countries.
Costa's visit comes amid concerns that the accelerated accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova could sideline the Western Balkans. He stressed that Russia's invasion of Ukraine should not disadvantage the region. Costa noted that Albania and Montenegro are the most advanced in their EU accession process.
Serbia remains a concern due to its ambiguous foreign policy. President Aleksandar Vucic's presence at Russia's Victory Day commemorations in Moscow raised eyebrows. However, Costa downplayed the significance of the visit, stating that Serbia's future lies in Europe.
Costa declined to set a definitive date for new accessions, emphasizing that it is a merit-based process. He acknowledged the growing skepticism among citizens in the region due to stalled accession talks. Costa reiterated the EU's founding vision of overcoming historical wounds.