EU accession: Merz warns of power struggle over the Western Balkans
The Western Balkan countries have been waiting to join the EU for many years. Russia and China are trying to use the pending situation to their advantage. The Chancellor wants to counteract this.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned of a power struggle between the European Union, China, and Russia over the Western Balkans. He urged countries in the region to press on with EU accession, saying it was in their common interest to join the EU. Merz cited Russia's attack on Ukraine as a reminder of the need for stability in the region.
China is offering infrastructure credits to Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, which have been waiting for EU membership for years. Merz's visit to Montenegro is part of the Berlin Process, an initiative started by Angela Merkel in 2014 to promote EU integration.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
