Joint statement by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission after a meeting with President Maia Sandu of Moldova (16 May 2025)

We, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom, together with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, met with President Maia Sandu on the margins of the European Political Community summit in Tirana. We reaffirm our strong and united support for the Republic of Moldova and its European future. We welcome Moldova’s ...
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Opening remarks by President António Costa at the meeting of the European Political Community in Tirana

First of all thank you very much dear Edi (Rama) for your very warm, creative and inspiring welcome to this first EPC Summit which takes place here in the Western Balkans. The title of today’s meeting is very fitting – “A new Europe in a new world”. I believe that is the main question for the European Political Community today: what is Europe’s role in this new world? After the end of the Se...
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Remarks by President António Costa at the joint press conference with Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski

Thank you very much, dear Prime Minister, dear Hristijan for the warm reception in North Macedonia and for this very extensive, but very constructive talk. My strong belief is that enlargement is a common goal we share. It is the best geostrategic investment in peace, security, and stability that we all can make. I commend the excellent work made by North Macedonia and your government on the...
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Russia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the politically motivated sentencing of independent election expert Grigory Melkonyants

Grigory Melkonyants, a prominent Russian election expert and co-chair of the independent elections monitoring group Golos, was sentenced in a politically motivated case to 5 years of imprisonment today. The fabricated charges under so-called “undesirable organisations” legislation were due to his firm stance and work for democracy, pluralism and fundamental freedoms. The EU has repeatedly over ...
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Libya: Statement by the Spokesman

The European Union expresses its strong support for the recent announcement of a truce and the subsequent de-escalation of tensions in Tripoli. However, we are deeply concerned by the reports of civilian casualties and significant destruction of civilian infrastructure that have occurred, and we express sympathy to all casualties and their families. The EU strongly calls for accountability of thos...
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Remarks by President Antonio Costa after his meeting in Pristina with President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu

Madam president, first of all, thank you for hosting me here in Pristina. It's a real pleasure to be here today with you. I would like to welcome your personal commitment as President of Kosovo* to its European path. The enlargement to the Western Balkans is the most important geopolitical investment for the European Union. It's my personal commitment too. I can't stress enough how import...
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Remarks by President António Costa at the joint press conference with President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović

It is my pleasure to be in Podgorica. Thank you dear Jakov for having us here. Enlargement is the most important geopolitical investment in the stability, peace and prosperity in the Western Balkans and the whole of Europe. It is inspiring to see how Montenegro has advanced on its European path. It is the result of your ambition, hard work and focus to become an EU member state. You are d...
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Remarks by President António Costa at the joint press conference with Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

I would like to thank the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for their kind welcome in Sarajevo. The European Union remains committed to the European future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. And this year, on the 30th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide and the Dayton/Paris agreement, I believe that it is an important message to remember. I came to Sarajevo to bring this message of continued engag...
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Copenhagen: Press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas before the Copenhagen Democracy Summit

Hello, everybody, It is good to be here at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit. It is my second time here. This is an extremely important topic because the fights that are going around in the world are not only about the things we see, but they are also about democracy. It is about autocracies fighting democracies. We see autocracies on the rise. And, if we take Ukraine, for example, it is al...
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Remarks by President António Costa at the joint press conference with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić

Thank you for your welcome, hospitality and for a good meeting. In December, when I started my mandate as the President of the European Council, I sent a clear signal of my personal commitment and the priority I attach to the enlargement of the European Union to the Western Balkans. And today, I start here, in Serbia, the visit to all the six Western Balkans partners. This is the fourth time...
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