The European People's Party (EPP) has issued a call to accelerate the European Union's enlargement process to include Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkan states, while emphasizing the necessity of respecting reforms and Copenhagen criteria.

Montenegro marks 20 years of independence, with discussions focusing on its EU membership prospects, which are considered stronger than other Western Balkan states, despite ongoing reform challenges.

Leaders including Macron, Merkel, and Sanchez are expected to attend a summit in Tivat, Montenegro, which will gather around a thousand participants from EU and Western Balkan states.

Siljanovska-Davkova highlighted the global and European crisis of democracy, the EU's democratic deficit, serious security threats, and the unsustainability of excluding Western Balkan states from EU membership.

Montenegro's chief negotiator, Predrag Zenović, stated in Budapest that the EU accession process must remain based on clear values and rules, emphasizing that the European Union, as a community of values and rules, has no alternative for the Western Balkan states.

The creative economy is highlighted as a sector where the Western Balkan states naturally share common interests. A Ministerial Forum on the creative economy aims to strengthen political support for its development and enhance experience exchange.

EU Foreign Ministers politically supported deeper cooperation with Western Balkan countries on external security and defense issues, urging them to harmonize with shared European values.

Dukaj emphasized that the diaspora represents a valuable and inseparable resource for the democratic and economic development of the Western Balkan states, advocating for their inclusion in decision-making processes.

A representative, likely from Hungary, stated that North Macedonia should urgently integrate into the European Union, emphasizing Hungary's strong support for the accession of all Western Balkan states as soon as possible.

North Macedonia's Minister Andonovski stated that the country aims to be the first in the region to meet the conditions for European roaming, following the European Commission's opening of the process for Western Balkan states.

After two decades of sluggish progress, EU states finally want to speed up the rapprochement of the Western Balkan states.

Viktor Orban's defeat in the Hungarian elections is seen as significant for Western Balkan states, as his presence at the EU table made their accession seem almost unimaginable in the near future.

Skepticism towards European Union enlargement is prevalent in Austria and Germany, especially concerning Western Balkan states like Montenegro.

Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute indicates that while military spending across the Western Balkans has increased, Serbia is the Number 1 importer of major weapons systems in the region.