Von der Leyen: EU door open for Bosnia

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Bosnia and Herzegovina's leaders on Friday that the "doors of the European Union" were open for the country to join the bloc.

She made those remarks during her visit to Sarajevo, which was one stop of her whirlwind six-nation tour of the Balkans this week.

The aim of the trip to the region is to drum up support for the bloc and to make sure that Europe's historical tinderbox is not about to pick the side of hostile Russia or strategic rival China in the world of geopolitics.

Speaking in Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital, von der Leyen urged the leaders of the country's tripartite presidency to "work together through this open door."

She explained that "the more you do that, the more you help me to support your country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example, to defend the candidate status in the European Council."

Earlier this month, Bosnia-Herzegovina moved a small step closer in joining the European Union when the EU's executive had advised member states to grant it candidate member status despite continuing criticism of the way the nation is run.

Still, once a country becomes a candidate, it can still take years, sometimes many years, before membership to the club becomes a reality.

Von der Leyen also announced a 70 million euro energy security package for Bosnia and Herzegovina during her visit to the country.