Rama warns of risks if EU membership candidates are left aside

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has warned of the risks if European Union (EU) candidate countries remain on the sidelines, calling the negotiating countries "Ursula's children" in a reference to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Rama said in an interview with Euronews Serbia that Ursula von der Leyen "must keep the candidate countries gathered around a common table, so that they do not fall under the influence of Russia or China."

The Albanian Prime Minister said that "Ursula's children" are the seven candidates actively negotiating for EU membership, namely Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and Moldova.

Speaking about relations with Russia, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama pointed out that Albania has practically no cooperation with Russia, recalling the historical fact that since 1960 there have been no official high-level visits between Tirana and Moscow, adding that Albania does not lack these contacts.

The Albanian Prime Minister also referred to the role of Vladimir Putin, concluding that the Russian president's moves have helped the European Union become bolder and the NATO alliance become stronger.