For instance, Croatia required ten years from its formal application to its membership, with additional time spent in preparatory stages. However, the current geopolitical conditions necessitate accelerating the accession process for the Western Balkans.
China, Russia, and Turkey are steadily and systematically increasing their influence in the Western Balkans through investments, political alliances, and cultural initiatives. This growing influence jeopardizes the EU’s ability to ensure the region’s economic integration, pursue independent policies, and maintain stability in its neighbourhood. The Western Balkans remain characterized by unresolved tensions, such as the Serbia-Albania dispute over Kosovo’s status, ethnic divisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and widespread economic weaknesses. Should the EU fail to act decisively, the region risks falling under the influence of external powers, seriously undermining the EU’s geopolitical position on the global and European chessboard.
The German factor has significantly contributed to delays in negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo[1]. Prioritizing its own political and economic interests, Germany has hindered the resolution of critical issues, such as territory exchange between Kosovo and Serbia. A solution accepted by the directly involved parties could lead to Kosovo’s recognition and pave the way for Serbia’s European integration. These delays not only exacerbate instability in the region but also undermine the EU’s credibility as a global player and reliable mediator. Immediate and unified EU leadership is essential to overcome this deadlock and present a clear and accelerated accession plan.
Restoring relations with Russia is crucial to safeguarding Europe’s strategic interests. Despite intense tensions, culminating in the open confrontation over the war in Ukraine, maintaining Russia as an adversary weakens Europe’s position in the international balance of power. As a European power, Russia’s long-term interests—such as stability and economic security—align more closely with Europe than with China or the United States. A pragmatic and strategically focused approach toward Russia could allow the EU to curb China’s growing influence, whose economic ambitions directly compete with Europe’s, and the United States, whose foreign policy often prioritizes global dominance over the EU’s regional interests.
History teaches us that periods of apparent stability can suddenly and violently unravel. The wars in Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh, Syria, and Gaza erupted unexpectedly, but their underlying causes had been brewing for years, like a slow-burning fuse leading to an explosive ignition. The same holds true for the Western Balkans, Europe’s “powder keg”. If the EU does not act decisively, it risks losing influence in the region to powers with interests contrary to its own. Even worse, it may fail to prevent upcoming conflicts, triggering another war on the European continent.
The integration of the Western Balkans is not merely about ensuring peace but also securing the EU’s geopolitical relevance. The EU must reaffirm its role as the dominant power in Europe, capable of shaping the region on its terms. This requires an immediate and comprehensive strategy: ending internal divisions, such as Germany’s obstruction in Serbia-Kosovo negotiations; launching an awareness campaign to inform Western Balkan populations about the benefits of EU membership; and adopting pragmatic foreign policies that balance security with long-term geopolitical objectives.
The EU has the resources and legitimacy to lead. The question is whether it will act in time or allow external forces or internal discord to dictate its future.
[1] This resignations is without prejudice to the final status of Kosovo and is in line with the UNSC Resolutions 1244 (1999) and the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence.
