Von der Leenen: Soon We appoint Special Commissioner for European Union Enlargement

Von der Leyen stressed that there will be reforms that the Western Balkan countries will undertake that will also determine the timing of EU integration.

“The current Russian leadership living in the past refuses to accept this simple reality every time there is progress towards reconciliation and regional integration in the Western Balkans, the Kremlin tries to disturb the waters of old conflicts. Russia is constantly at work to sow divisions within the Western Balkans and between BP and the rest of Europe”, Von der Leenen said.

“They want integration and that's what we need to give them”, the EC president added.

Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine is a turning point for Europe, like the one in 1989, even though we live in a different world. We are obliged to reconsider our goals and policies. If we want to make Europe economically competitive and able to defend itself, and if this is our main objective, then I see BP integration into the EU as essentially important”, Vod der Leyen stressed.