Washington, 5 February 2026 – At the recent Atlantic Council discussion on the Geopolitical Perspectives of EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans, one central message emerged with clarity: enlargement is no longer a technical or bureaucratic process, it is a strategic necessity.

In today’s geopolitical environment, marked by war in Europe, renewed great-power competition, and growing hybrid pressures from malign actors, the Western Balkans have moved from the margins of policy debate to the frontline of European security. EU enlargement is therefore not an act of charity, nostalgia, or administrative expansion. It is a strategic investment in stability, democratic resilience, and long-term Euro-Atlantic security.

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, H.E. Elisa Spiropali, emphasized that the region should now be viewed as a frontline of European security competition. Delays in enlargement do not simply slow institutional integration, they create strategic vacuums that can be exploited by destabilizing influences. In this context, enlargement must function as a security instrument, reinforcing institutional resilience, democratic governance, and alignment with EU and NATO standards across the region.

At the same time, the process must remain merit-based and credible. Countries that demonstrate sustained institutional reform, judicial independence, rule-of-law progress, and policy alignment should advance accordingly, while ensuring that acceleration for some does not become permanent stagnation for others. Reform must be embedded, societal, and irreversible, not symbolic or episodic.

Ambassador Philip Reeker highlighted another essential dimension: enlargement is not only important for candidate countries, but also equally vital for the European Union itself and for the broader transatlantic alliance. Completing the integration of the Western Balkans strengthens NATO cohesion, enhances democratic resilience, and consolidates a stable European security architecture at a time when geopolitical uncertainty is rising. From Washington’s perspective, EU accession of the Western Balkans represents a long-term strategic investment in regional predictability and Western unity.

An additional theme that resonated strongly throughout the discussion was credibility. For more than two decades, the citizens of the Western Balkans have heard consistent messages about their European future. Maintaining public trust now requires tangible progress, clearer timelines, and stronger communication about the benefits, both strategic and economic of enlargement for EU member states themselves.

Ultimately, the enlargement debate is no longer about whether the Western Balkans belong in Europe; it is about whether Europe will use enlargement as the geopolitical instrument required by this moment. A credible, forward-moving enlargement process would not only transform the region, but it would also strengthen the European Union, reinforce transatlantic security, and demonstrate that strategic commitments made in times of uncertainty can still be delivered.

The message from the discussion was clear: enlargement is not a question of generosity, it is a question of strategy, credibility, and long-term European security.