Western Balkans leaders depart EU meeting

The leaders Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania were in Brussels on Sunday for an informal EU meeting on the Western Balkans.

The European Union is hoping that a breakthrough for Albania and North Macedonia can be found in March.

In October 2019, France, supported by Denmark and the Netherlands, vetoed the opening of accession talks between the European Union and the two hopeful members.

The bloc now has a major Western Balkans summit planned for May.

There are worries that if the EU doesn't open its arms, then several countries in the strategically important Balkan region could pivot instead to Russia and China.