The foreign ministers of the Western Balkans and the EU will meet today under the auspices of the Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Josep Borrell.
The ministerial conference between the EU and the Western Balkans aims to improve the bloc's involvement with the region's countries, with a focus on shared foreign and security policy in the context of geopolitical difficulties.
The meeting will take place following the conclusion of the first day of the Union's Council of Foreign Affairs session, during which the situation in Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the Middle East will be discussed. The issues of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the evolution of ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the foreign policy dimension of economic security are also on the agenda.
"The European Union relies on its future members for unified responses to current geopolitical challenges through solidarity and close cooperation," according to the forum's statement. "Solidarity and close cooperation are our responses to the current geopolitical challenges." "To promote peace, security, and democracy on our continent," it continued.
Following the announcement of the new six-year, billion-euro expansion package and growth plan for the Western Balkans for the period 2024-2027, EU foreign ministers will meet with their counterparts from Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
BGNES recalls that the EU has devised a 6 billion euro growth plan to equalize the economies of the Western Balkan nations. It tries to hasten socioeconomic convergence.
A new reform and growth fund of €6 billion will be established for the area under the plan for the years 2024-2027.
There will be EUR 2 billion in grants and EUR 4 billion in loans. /BGNES
