Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is in London, attending a series of visits and events, including this afternoon’s participation in the international forum on security and global policies, Future Resilience Forum 2025.
Asked about Albania’s progress and future, Rama expressed optimism, stating that Albania is closer than ever to joining the European Union, and that for Albanians, the EU represents a space of peace. He added that every time he meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his country feels like paradise.
“Whenever I meet Zelensky and he asks how things are going, I tell him: ‘When I see you, I am the happiest man in the world, and my country is paradise.’ Everything is relative, of course—we tend to forget the bad and are never satisfied with the good.
I think Albania is in a good position. Right now, we are in a moment of great acceleration on the path to the EU. The geopolitical importance is no longer just in words. They understand that everything must be done to unite the Western Balkans. They realize the EU has two borders—an external and an internal one—and we, in the Western Balkans, are inside that space.
I am optimistic that very soon we will become EU members. If circumstances change and Europe returns to a comfort zone, things could shift.
Our vision is shaped by our history—we have not had a period where we could live by our own choice. We want to be part of the EU, and for us, it is as important as it was for the founding fathers: a space of peace and calm.
92 percent of people want their country to be part of the EU. Our politics are so polarized, but when it comes to the EU, everyone wants to join, because we remember clearly what life is like within the EU. The British have begun to understand what it is like to be outside the EU, even if they do not fully accept it yet.”
