Western Balkans

Georgia’s democratic regression highlights the risks facing Serbia, where similar warning signs are emerging. As authoritarianism becomes entrenched, EU leverage diminishes, underscoring the need for earlier, more decisive action to counter democratic backsliding.

Can critical raw materials accelerate EU enlargement while strengthening Europe’s economic security?

The EU-Western Balkans Summit highlighted renewed momentum for enlargement. Yet ongoing political crises, governance shortcomings and regional tensions show that successful integration will depend as much on domestic reforms and stability as on geopolitical ambition.

The EU and its enlargement partners face shared cyber threats but have yet to develop the operational cooperation needed to address them effectively. Deeper pre-accession coordination is needed to strengthen political, societal and industrial resilience across Europe.

Europe's drive to rearm cannot stop at its borders. The Western Balkans can bolster EU defence readiness – through industrial cooperation, military mobility and regional stability – if deeper integration is matched by governance reform and credible enlargement incentives.

The Global Risks to the EU survey highlights the most acute security risks facing the EU in 2026, as assessed by European experts. A hybrid attack on EU critical infrastructure tops the risk list, alongside threats from Russia and a US withdrawal of security guarantees.

Trial membership or gradual accession: the EU needs new ideas to make enlargement work. We need political creativity to implement what is a geopolitical necessity.

The 2025 enlargement package revives optimism about EU expansion, yet deferred reforms and political hesitation among Member States threaten to stall progress — testing the Union’s readiness as much as that of its candidates.

Albania has made global headlines in appointing 'Diella', an AI system, as a cabinet minister. Hailed as a step towards digital governance, it has also drawn criticism over legality, accountability and the risks of entrusting political power to artificial intelligence.

Persistent scepticism in some EU Member States highlights that the main challenges to enlargement now lie within the Union itself. EU leaders could generate broader public and political support for enlargement by presenting it as a shared security imperative.