Russian aggression against Ukraine has helped Europe understand that the enlargement of the European Union (EU) is linked to the security of the European continent and that candidate countries see it as a strategic framework for stability and development, said Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović.
As announced by the President's Office, Milatović said in an interview with the Washington Post that the war in Ukraine has changed the way Europe views EU enlargement, not only as a technical process, but also as an issue of the continent's development and security.
It is stated that the "Washington Post" in an interview with Milatović noted that the White House has intensified negative rhetoric towards the EU in recent weeks, including claims in a new national security document, as well as a series of statements by American officials and administration allies, while at the same time fears are spreading in Europe that American policy is moving towards an openly hostile stance towards the European project.
In this context, Milatović emphasized that the Russian aggression against Ukraine helped Europe understand a very important thing, that EU enlargement is linked to the security of the European continent and that candidate countries see it as a strategic framework for stability and development.
He stated that he tied his victory in the 2023 presidential elections to a clear political commitment that Montenegro could become a member of the EU by the end of his mandate in 2028, with a reform course that should remove key obstacles on that path, especially in the area of the fight against corruption.
Milatović emphasized in the conversation that EU membership for Montenegro represents a measure of democratic maturity, prosperity and stability, but also a practical mechanism that provides the country with external support and a roadmap for rapid economic development.
According to him, the European path should help Montenegro build a more competitive economy, stronger democratic standards, and institutions capable of supporting long-term political and economic development.
The Washington Post states that, despite American pressure on the European project and statements by certain actors in the US administration, political energy for membership is growing on the periphery of Europe, especially due to the consequences caused by the war in Ukraine.
The text states that Brussels is considering scenarios for accelerating the process for Ukraine after a possible peace agreement, with the awareness that the accession criteria are complex and that full membership is not coming quickly.
Milatović said that for candidate countries, the EU is not a topic of daily politics, but a framework that connects security, institution building, and economic development.
"Montenegro will continue to measure its European path with concrete results, reforms and strengthening of institutions, with the aim of making membership by 2028 a realized state plan, and not a so far unfulfilled promise," the President's Office stated.
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