Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that the European Union must move forward with the accession of the Western Balkan countries into the bloc.

“We must continue towards full membership before 2030 for the Western Balkan countries, and then we must work with Ukraine and Moldova,” he said, emphasizing that the Balkan countries have been candidates for many years.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg emphasized the importance of the European Union maintaining momentum for the accession of neighboring countries.

“We acknowledge that there are third parties, whether Russia, China, or others, exerting their influence. The Balkans and Eastern Europe are our close neighbors. Both regions are approximately five hundred kilometers away from Vienna. We must confront this ring of fire surrounding us, the European Union, with a ring of stability and security. For me, this is the European Union’s greatest geostrategic task,” said the Austrian Foreign Minister.

These comments were made on the eve of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers with their counterparts from the six Western Balkan countries, aimed at enhancing cooperation in security and foreign affairs.

/k.s/