European Union reaches out to Balkans, under Trump’s shadow

SOFIA: European Union leaders anxious to counter Russian influence sought on Thursday to reassure Balkan states about their long-promised membership prospects, but warned they would not be joining any time soon. EU leaders met their counterparts from six Balkan countries for summit talks in Sofia, a day after a dinner that sought to forge a united front in the face of US President Donald Trump’s “capricious assertiveness” on the Iran nuclear deal and trade tariffs. The bloc faces a dilemma over Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo — wanting to offer them enough to keep them out of Moscow’s orbit without rushing to let them join before they carry out important reforms. French President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted the countries, collectively referred to as the Western Balkans, to have a “supported dialogue, a perspective”, but warned against hasty moves. “I am not in favour of moving towards enlargement before we have all the required certainties and before genuine reform has been made,” Macron told reporters as he arrived for the summit. EU Council President Donald Tusk said the bloc would invest in infrastructure connections with the Balkans to boost development and bring them up to EU standards. The EU is increasingly looking to take its fate into its own hands as a transatlantic rift grows with Trump, who withdrew from the Iranian nuclear deal and wants to slap tariffs on European steel and aluminium. Tusk launched a stinging attack on Trump, while adding that he was helping Europe in a way because it had “got rid of all illusions” that it can rely on Washington. “Looking at the latest decisions of President Trump, someone could even think with friends like that who needs enemies,” Tusk said on Wednesday. After suspending any enlargement four years ago, the European Commission recently unveiled a new strategy for the region which aims to give membership to some states by 2025 — the frontrunners to join are Montenegro and Serbia. In return Brussels wants reforms and a crackdown on corruption in the region. But the six countries are growing increasingly impatient for a path to membership. Bulgaria’s prime minister recently warned Russia and China will otherwise gain toeholds in the region. In the summit declaration, the EU outlined the theme of “connectivity” with investments in transport and infrastructure. It restated the EU’s “unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans” but avoided the terms “adhesion” or “enlargement” — EU code words for the path to membership of the bloc. — AFP