EU Enlargement Summit Highlights Progress and Deep Political Obstacles for Candidates

OPA WIRE, Nov 3 (OPA) — European Council President António Costa stated in a written address that EU enlargement benefits all member states and helps overcome historical grievances. The summit brought together leaders from Ukraine, Georgia, Montenegro, and Armenia to evaluate the readiness of the bloc and candidate nations alike.

Armenia and Georgia presented starkly contrasting trajectories during the summit. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called a formal EU membership bid in 2027 or 2028 realistic, positioning it as an alternative to secure the nation's democracy. Meanwhile, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze insisted his government remains committed to joining despite frozen accession bids and controversial foreign influence laws.

Montenegro aims to become the EU's 28th member state by 2028, leading the accession race. However, European Affairs Minister Maida Gorčević warned that Podgorica would reject any second-class membership or 15-year probation periods proposed by the Commission. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković cautioned that upcoming elections could derail the entire enlargement process.

Ukraine and Albania also outlined aggressive timelines to conclude negotiations by 2027. Ukrainian officials pushed back against proposed long-term restrictions on agricultural exports, demanding credible, merit-based paths without permanent exclusions from the single market.