Ursula von der Leyen: Russia and China are trying to expand their influence in the Western Balkans, but the EU is still the biggest investor and closest partner

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today in Tirana that the EU enlargement process has regained momentum and that the Union is now working much more closely with the Western Balkans.

Speaking after her arrival at the EU-Western Balkans Summit, Von der Leyen said that this new momentum in the enlargement process was evidenced by much more frequent meetings than in recent years.

Recalling that she had recently visited all the countries of the Western Balkans, that there had been a Berlin Process Summit, and that an EU-Western Balkans Summit had already taken place a few months ago, she underlined that this was very clear progress.

She said that today’s summit in Tirana would discuss practical progress in various areas, and we are talking about areas that are a burden for the EU alone, such as energy security.

“We have put together a package for the Western Balkans which reflects what the EU is doing and which includes 500 million euros to be used by the countries of the region to help their households and businesses in these difficult times,” said Ms Von der Leyen.

She added that the package also contains €500 million for direct investment in infrastructure for a green energy future, such as solar and wind power, in interconnections, but also in programmes towards green hydrogen.

Von der Leyen said that other topics such as hosting and economic progress would also be discussed.

Asked about the impact of the war in Ukraine, she said that it was not only about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, but also about whether autocracy and the rule of force or democracy and the rule of law would prevail.

This “wrestling”, she said, is also evident in the Western Balkans, where both Russia and China are trying to expand their influence, but where the EU is still the biggest investor and the closest partner in the region.

“It’s up to you to decide which side you are on.” On the side of democracy, which is the EU, which is your friend and partner, or do you want to go the other way. These are the fundamental questions that we will discuss. I see in all six Western Balkan countries that the EU and EU membership is a priority for them, and that is what we support,” said the President of the European Commission./Beta, Danas/