Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu told CNBC that the EU needs to pay more attention to the Western Balkans.
The EU is expected to grant candidate status to Ukraine this week, the first step towards full membership. The debate over the EU's expansion has been reopened.
When Croatia joined the EU, it didn't welcome any new countries.
The shocks of the global financial crisis, its own debt crisis, and then a refugee wave from the Syrian civil war are part of the reason for that. Many capitals prioritized domestic issues over the expansion of EU membership because of the events.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukranian, this has begun to change.
According to a survey by the European Parliament, European support for EU membership is at a 15-year high. The leaders of Germany, France and Italy went to Kyiv last week to show their support for the country. The European Commission said that bothUkraine andMoldova were ready to move closer to membership if they put in place reforms.
Some EU countries have reservations about opening their doors again.
Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa said that the EU could create false expectations with Ukraine's bid to join. He told the Financial Times that the EU should look to provide immediate support to Kyiv.
Potential members have to align their political and judicial systems with the EU in order to join.
It's possible to open the door to several other nations.
The Western Balkans have been promised accession to the EU but negotiations have yet to begin. Visa requirements for travel to the European Union have been in place for four years for Kosovo.
The risk for the EU is that it will give preferential treatment to Kyiv, which will upset other parts of the continent and possibly push them towards Russia.
The same priority should be given to the Western Balkans as to Ukraine, according to the Austrian ministers. Those countries must be firmly anchored in our camp.
Kosovo sees it as an issue of geography.
The EU understands that bringing the Western Balkans as a region, embracing it and bringing it to the table is a strategic interest of the European Union itself.
Kosovo has a long history of conflict with Serbia and her comments should not be taken lightly. Serbia and Russia are not recognized by the United States or any of the other countries that recognize Kosovo's independence. It isn't a member state of the UN.
Kosovo's potential accession to the EU is highly controversial due to the fact that Greece, Cyprus and Spain do not recognize Kosovo as a country.
The more space is allowed for Russia to expand its influence in the European continent, the worse it will be for everyone.
European leaders are expected to discuss the topic Thursday. The Balkans will be watching whatever they say to Ukraine.
Albania and North Macedonia, which changed their names to boost their chances of joining the EU, are still waiting for accession negotiations to start.
Osmani-Sadriu said that EU leaders need to emphasize that expansion of the bloc is in the benefit of peace and stability in Europe.
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