The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, is set to visit Kosovo next week.
This will be his first visit to the region as part of a Balkan tour since taking office as head of the European Union.
His visit to Prishtina is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14. A day earlier, he will be in Belgrade—a visit taking place just days after the Serbian president’s trip to Russia, despite Brussels’ concerns over his participation in the Victory Day ceremony in Moscow.
EU officials have justified the decision not to skip the Serbian capital by citing the importance of engaging with institutions and supporting all countries in the region. According to them, developments in the Western Balkans ultimately influence decisions taken by the EU Council.
Costa’s tour of all Western Balkan countries comes ahead of the European Political Community summit, set to take place at the end of next week in Tirana.
The European Political Community is a pan-European initiative launched in 2022 by French President Emmanuel Macron. It brings together over 40 leaders from European countries and EU institutions. The forum serves as a platform to discuss the continent’s shared future, security matters, and the defense of democracy.
