Thewesternbalkans.
According to the EU documents concerning the 17-th of December 2025 Summit between EU and the WB and the Brussels Declaration, approved during the summit, the main priority for the 2026 year will be Strengthening Security and Stability Together.
The Summit reaffirmed the strategic partnership between the European Union and the Western Balkans and that the “Enlargement is a realistic opportunity, which should be seized”.
The European leaders stated that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and other security threats facing Europe, underline the importance of strengthening ties between the EU and the Western Balkans.
In this context, they reaffirmed their full and unequivocal commitment to the European Union membership perspective of the Western Balkans. They underlined that enlargement is a geostrategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity and welcomed the renewed momentum in the enlargement process.
The EU welcomed the Western Balkans partners’ commitment to uphold European values and principles, in line with international law. It was emphasised that inclusive regional cooperation, reconciliation and good neighbourly relations remain key to building a shared future.
One of the most important priorities in 2026 will be the Foreign and Security Policy Alignment. Alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), including the implementation and enforcement of restrictive measures and efforts to counter circumvention, remains a strong expression of partners’ strategic choice.
Security and defence cooperation will be a key element of the cooperation with the Western Balkan countries. Leaders welcomed the first Security and Defence Partnerships and the launch of Security and Defence Dialogues. The EU reaffirmed its continued support to the Western Balkans under the European Peace Facility, which contributes to strengthening security in the region.
Building Resilience against Hybrid Threats is also one of the priorities for the 2026 year. It is agreed to further strengthen cooperation on cybersecurity, strategic communication and resilience-building, including through the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre and the European Democracy Shield.
Gradual Integration and Economic Security. In 2026 a very important priority will be to bring Western Balkans partners closer to the EU by gradual integration into the EU Single Market, including in the areas of payments (SEPA), digital connectivity and reduced roaming costs. The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans remains a key tool to support socio-economic convergence.
Leaders agreed that the next Summit will take place in June 2026 in Montenegro.
Comments: The EU–Western Balkans Summit is the most important annual political meeting between the European Union and the region. It sets the strategic direction of relations, reviews progress on enlargement and cooperation and defines priorities for the year ahead.
It is important to underline that all Western Balkans partners except Serbia aligned with the Summit Declaration. It means that in 2026 Serbia will continue to follow its dualistic policy being in the same time in camps of West and East.
According to the documents of the recent EU-Western Balkans summit, and especially the texts of the Brussels Declaration, it is quite clear that in the process of the last EU enlargement, the priorities of integration have shifted towards security and defence, while economic integration has been pushed to the end of the chain. This once again emphasizes the main line of thinking and action in Brussels on a global scale. This is also one of the main reasons why the EU is entering an increasingly deep crisis and seeking increasingly unconventional solutions to this crisis.
