“Estonia knows from its own experience that joining the EU is a boost to both prosperity and stability, which in turn strengthens the security of Europe as a whole,” she remarked. “I would also stress that we can do more in cooperating with the Western Balkans to counter the false narratives and misinformation being disseminated by Russia.”
Estonia is already working with the Western Balkans, first and foremost in the areas of digitalisation and cybersecurity. The country’s main contribution lies in enhancing the cyber capabilities of its NATO allies Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia.
At the summit, EU leaders also agreed on a joint declaration underscoring European values, the importance of the union’s enlargement and the need for reforms. The statement called on the Western Balkans to come into full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and to counter the evasion of sanctions imposed on Russia.
The last EU-Western Balkans summit took place in Tirana in December 2022.
Prime Minister Kallas will be attending the European Council meeting beginning on Thursday, which will focus on EU enlargement, continued support for Ukraine and the mid-term revision of the union’s long-term budget for the next four years.
Gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB6LWH
