Johann Wadephul urges faster EU enlargement to the Western Balkans
Wadephul says enlargement is a test for Europe and calls on member states to honour commitments while candidates press ahead with reforms.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on 1 October 2026 urged the European Union to speed up its planned enlargement to the Western Balkans, warning that growing Russian and Chinese influence in the region raises strategic stakes for Europe.
Speaking ahead of a Western Balkans conference in Podgorica, the CDU politician said enlargement is central to Europe’s security and its ability to act in coming decades. He framed the process as a decisive moment for the EU’s geopolitical standing.
Wadephul said candidate countries must be offered a credible European perspective and brought closer to the Union if the EU wants to preserve its room for manoeuvre. He singled out rule of law progress, the fight against organised crime and corruption, and regional rapprochement as necessary reforms.
He warned that Russia and China have for some time sought to expand their influence across the Western Balkans and argued the EU must respond by accelerating accession procedures. "EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans is a test for Europe. It will decide what influence the EU will have in the coming decades," he said. "Therefore we must now speed up the accession process to the EU."
Berlin Process and schedule
Wadephul arrives in Podgorica to meet his counterparts under the Berlin Process, an initiative launched in 2014. The Western Balkans candidates include Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia; Kosovo is a potential candidate. All six seek EU membership but are at different stages of the accession path.
According to the latest European Commission analysis referenced by officials, Montenegro—home to roughly 620,000 people—is furthest along and could complete accession negotiations by the end of 2026 if it maintains its current reform pace.
Later in the afternoon Wadephul is due in Rome to meet his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of German–Italian diplomatic relations the two ministers plan to plant a tree and then take part in events marking German Unity Day.
Photo: press material from the event
