Former Slovenian President Borut Pahor stated that the Russian aggression against Ukraine has changed Brussels’ thinking regarding the expansion in the Western Balkans.
According to Pahor, this change is real, and he communicated it to all his friends in the region.
“The aggression of Russia against Ukraine has altered the mindset in Brussels about the expansion of the Western Balkans. Before the aggression, I told my friends in the region not to underestimate this shift in thinking regarding the expansion in Brussels. This change is real, and there is now a political will to move forward with the expansion of the Western Balkans,” Pahor said at the 2BS Forum in Budva, Montenegro.
Pahor, who expressed his willingness to succeed Miroslav Lajčak as a mediator in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, stated that the status quo in this region is insufficient for sustainable peace.
“The status quo in the Western Balkans is not enough for sustainable peace, security, and progress; it represents unfinished business, especially regarding EU enlargement. However, it is positive that three out of six countries are already NATO members,” he said.
