EU, Western Balkans to boost partnership amid Ukraine war

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN and LLAZAR SEMINI

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — EU leaders and their counterparts in the Western Balkans have worked to strengthen their partnership during a summit in Albania as Russia’s war in Ukraine threatens to reshape the geopolitical balance in the region. The EU wanted to reassure leaders from Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia that they have futures within the wealthy economic bloc, and give them concrete signs, instead of just promises, that they will join one day. Since Russia started its war in February, EU officials have been repeating that stepping up the bloc’s engagement with the sextet of nations is more crucial than ever to maintaining Europe’s security.