EU and Western Balkans leaders meet in Tivat as Montenegro leads accession race
EU enlargement gets its highest-level stage in years: von der Leyen, Macron and Merz are among leaders meeting in Tivat, Montenegro on June 5 for the EU-Western Balkans summit. Montenegro has closed more accession chapters than any other candidate, per the European Council.
Montenegro hosts the EU's most consequential enlargement meeting in years this week. EU and Western Balkans leaders gather in Tivat on June 5 for the EU-Western Balkans summit, held under the theme of shared prosperity and stability. The attendance list signals how much weight Brussels now puts on the region. European Council President Antonio Costa, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Parliament President Roberta Metsola and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas are joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, according to the European Council. Montenegro is the host for a reason. The country opened accession negotiations in 2012 and has provisionally closed more negotiation chapters than any other candidate, though rule-of-law reforms remain unfinished. Albania, negotiating since 2020, is regarded as the second frontrunner. The plenary session covers integration progress and the EU Growth Plan for the region, with a working lunch on enlargement policy and alignment with European standards. Summit conclusions are expected on June 5. Coverage: European Council, European Commission, Euronews.