The EU’s enlargement chief has issued a stark warning that the bloc’s credibility and security are at stake as foreign powers seek to disrupt the process of new members joining.
Protests have erupted across the Balkans, fueled by deadly disasters linked to corruption. From Serbia to North Macedonia, young people are taking to the streets, demanding accountability in a region where aspirations to join the European Union clash with entrenched graft.
Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s growing power on the world stage, progress in expanding the European Union to include new member states has been slow.
Georgia’s government recently decided to suspend EU accession negotiations until 2028. As protests against the decision raged in Georgia, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s openness to the country’s potential membership.
During a visit to Kyiv on Sunday, the new president of the European Council pledged support for Ukraine on its road to become a member of the European Union, as well as EU financial assistance in the face of Russia’s invasion.