DW Analysis: Good Neighborhood, the Key to Peace in the Balkans

2025-12-18 17:54:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

At the last European Union-Western Balkans summit, the resolution of disputes and progress in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue were called for.

A joint statement with 19 agreed points between the leaders of the European Union and those of the Western Balkans was the result of the latest summit held in Brussels on Wednesday evening (17.12).

As expected, after congratulating the candidate countries on the reforms undertaken in the framework of the accession process, the EU once again reminded the states of the Balkan region that want to become part of it to continue the fight against corruption, organized crime and drug trafficking. But above all, it called for a final resolution of the disputes.

EU, Western Balkans: Agree!

Due to the current geostrategic context, deepened by the war in Ukraine, the Western Balkans and the European Union need each other more than ever. But how useful can a region that still carries so many disputes from the past be?

Once again, the EU reiterated its demands for the resolution of conflicts between neighboring states in the Western Balkans.

"Comprehensive regional cooperation, reconciliation and good-neighborly relations remain key to building a common future and to implementing international agreements in good faith and with tangible results, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty on Friendship, Good-Neighborliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria."

Agreements and solutions should be decisive, according to the EU, for the purpose of reconciliation and stability in the region "for regional and bilateral disputes and issues of partners rooted in the legacy of the past, in accordance with international law and established principles, including the Agreement on Heritage Issues, the remaining cases of missing persons and war crimes issues".

"The Pristina-Belgrade dialogue must be implemented"

Just hours before leaving for Brussels, Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? made a surprise announcement that Serbia would not participate in the summit. His argument was that he was protecting Serbia's interests by not participating alongside other countries in the region.

But despite Vu?i?'s absence, the eighteenth point of the Union's declaration reiterated the urgent need to advance the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

"The lack of normalization of relations between Pristina and Belgrade continues to hinder both partners on their path towards Europe. All agreements reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, mediated by the EU, must be implemented, in particular the Agreement on the Road to Normalization and its Annex," the joint statement said.

This point was also clarified that in order for both countries to benefit from the reforms and financial support of the Western Balkans Reform and Growth Instrument, "it is conditional on the constructive engagement of the partners with measurable progress and tangible results in the normalization of their relations."

Kosovo escapes the measures

Moments after this statement, around midnight, through a video shared on her social networks, the President of Kosovo announced that the European Union and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had confirmed the lifting of all measures taken against Kosovo by the end of January next year.

"During intensive talks with our partners, the decision was made to lift all measures on Kosovo, with a large part being lifted today, and the rest at the end of January. Consequently, the funds will also be unblocked, a very large part immediately and another part at the end of January," declared President Osmani.

The news about the lifting of financial punitive measures against Kosovo was also confirmed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the "X" platform.

"I am happy to announce that we are moving forward to lift the measures against Kosovo. We are programming 216 million euros in financial assistance and intend to disburse 205 million euros early next year," wrote the number one of the European Commission, von der Leyen.

The next EU-Western Balkans summit will be held in June next year in Montenegro, the Balkan state that could become the Union's 28th member state./ DW