European Council President António Costa has strongly reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to integration, declaring that expansion to include Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans remains the bloc’s “most important geopolitical investment.”
Speaking from Paris following a high-level summit of the “Coalition of the Willing” hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, Costa framed EU enlargement not merely as a political process, but as a critical, long-term security guarantee for the entire European continent.
Strategic Unity and Peace Through Strength
Writing on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Costa expressed deep gratitude to President Macron for hosting the summit, which brought together heads of state and government to synchronize and strengthen military and logistical support for Ukraine.
“The EU is fully united in its strategy for peace through strength—strengthening support for Ukraine, increasing pressure on Russia, and advancing the path toward a just and lasting peace.” — António Costa, President of the European Council
Costa emphasized that the EU is eager to push forward with Ukraine’s integration process, confirming that accession negotiations are moving at a highly accelerated pace.
Major Milestones: Intergovernmental Conferences in Brussels
Costa’s comments serve as the prelude to a series of crucial Intergovernmental Conferences scheduled to take place in Brussels on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The sessions will mark concrete integration breakthroughs for four distinct candidate nations:
ACCESSION MILESTONES (JULY 14, 2026)
MONTENEGRO ──────> [ CHAPTERS CLOSED ] • Closing two more policy chapters.
• Total progress: 18 out of 33 chapters closed.
ALBANIA ─────────> [ CHAPTERS CLOSED ] • Closing its first three policy chapters.
UKRAINE & ──────> [ CLUSTER OPENED ] • Opening negotiations on Cluster 6 (External Relations).
MOLDOVA • Brings both nations physically closer to EU alignment.
The simultaneous progress of Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, and Moldova underscores the EU’s renewed, multi-directional push to solidify its outer borders, integrating both the Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkan regions under a unified European security umbrella.
