More than 30 European leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, and Ursula von der Leyen, have gathered in the Montenegrin coastal resort of Tivat for a high-stakes summit. The talks focus on the expansion of the European Union and the integration of six Western Balkan countries, including Montenegro and Albania, into the bloc.
Commission head Ursula von der Leyen stated that the enlargement process needs to be faster and more credible. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed this sentiment, asserting that the EU must prove its willingness and ability to take in new members by integrating them more deeply into the EU single market.
To revitalize accession talks, Merz and Macron are pitching a gradual building blocks approach to integration. While other nations like Ukraine and Moldova harbor ambitions to join, Montenegro is currently a leading candidate and could potentially join the bloc as early as 2028.