The brutal Russian attack on Ukraine shows once again how important a united Europe is. The European Union has been a guarantor of peace in the member countries since World War II. It not only offers protection against internal wars, but also effective protection against aggression from outside.

It is time to take the next steps in the EU enlargement process. We need lasting peace across Europe. Therefore, the inclusion of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova as well as the Western Balkan countries is the next big goal. There are still a few hurdles to overcome on the path to membership, but we must move forward and not get stuck. We all have to do our homework, the accession candidates and the European Union, in order to take the next big step towards enlargement.

The next important steps at the European Council on 23/24th June is:

Start of negotiations with Albania

#enlargeEU #AlbaniaInEU