Kaja Kallas: EU Enlargement Is a Geopolitical Necessity, Not an Option
At the European Commission press conference in Brussels, High Representative and Vice-President Kaja Kallas delivered a powerful statement outlining the bloc’s 2025 enlargement package — declaring that EU enlargement is “a political priority and a geopolitical investment.” Kallas underscored that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and broader geopolitical shifts have made EU expansion “a necessity, not a luxury.”
Speaking alongside Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Kallas said the European Union must seize the current window of opportunity to bring new members into the bloc by 2030, calling it a realistic and achievable target — provided all candidates meet the Union’s strict accession criteria. She stressed there would be “no shortcuts” and that the process would remain fair, tough, and merit-based.
Kallas presented a clear assessment of the candidates’ progress. According to the Commission, Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, and Ukraine received largely positive evaluations, while Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Turkey showed mixed results. Georgia, however, was described as having “no viable path to the EU at this stage” due to the deteriorating democratic situation.
Kallas hailed Ukraine’s efforts, noting that “no candidate country has ever implemented such sweeping reforms while at war,” calling Kyiv’s commitment to EU membership “remarkable.” Moldova’s October elections, she added, reaffirmed its “yes to a European future.”
By contrast, political instability in Serbia and Kosovo and the undermining of reforms in Bosnia’s Republika Srpska slowed progress, while North Macedonia still needs to complete its constitutional changes. Turkey, Kallas noted, remains a “key partner,” but its democratic backsliding since 2018 has “de facto frozen” its accession process.
Kallas emphasized that enlargement is not only technical but also a political and moral choice. Aligning with the EU’s foreign and security policy, ensuring judicial independence, fighting corruption, and protecting free media are, she said, fundamental tests of a country’s European commitment.
She also highlighted the EU’s increasing focus on security cooperation with accession states, including joint security commitments with Ukraine, defense partnerships with Moldova, North Macedonia, and Albania, and an upcoming security dialogue with Montenegro.
Finally, Kallas stressed that enlargement also requires the EU itself to prepare for new members through internal reforms and policy reviews, ensuring the Union can expand effectively. She concluded that enlargement is “a long-term investment in security, stability, and Europe’s global power.”
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