The meeting aims to build on the existing close ties between the EU and the Western Balkans.

“Leaders will discuss progress on EU integration and the challenges stemming from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” the European Council said.

“The meeting will also be an opportunity to take stock of progress on key investments under the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans (EIP), discuss geostrategic issues, explore ways to foster people-to-people contacts, and promote alignment with EU values and the common foreign and security policy (CFSP),” it added.

The latest meeting between EU and Western Balkans Leaders was the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brdo pri Kranju in October 2021. It was hosted by the Slovenian Presidency of the Council. (ILKHA)