site.btaEU, Western Balkan Leaders Meet for Talks in Brussels

The heads of state and government of the EU and Western Balkan countries will meet for talks in Brussels on Wednesday. The agenda of the meeting does not envisage the approval of decisions related to EU enlargement.

At issue will be opportunities for economic convergence, advancing political interaction, as well as the implications of the war in Ukraine and cooperation in the field of migration. A joint statement is expected after the meeting.

The announcement for the upcoming meeting says that the EU seeks to deepen ties with the countries of the Western Balkans in the field of foreign policy, defence and security, countering hybrid threats and attempts at external interference and spreading disinformation. It adds that the EU and the countries of the region share responsibility for managing migration, coordinating visa policy, countering terrorism, extremism, organized crime and corruption, and the rule of law.

The meeting will take place on the eve of the last European Council meeting of the year on Thursday, which is expected to be attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.