EU Leaders at Montenegro Summit Discuss Faster Enlargement but Offer Gradual Integration Without Voting Rights

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told leaders gathered in Tivat, Montenegro, on Friday that the EU must make its enlargement process faster and more credible. Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said the European Union has to show that it is capable of enlarging and willing to enlarge.

He added that there are a whole range of questions that must be answered together, but above all it must be clear that this part of Europe belongs within the EU’s future.

Merz also noted that the fact no new members had joined the EU for 13 years showed shortcomings in the bloc. Von der Leyen attended the summit alongside Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Montenegro’s president, Jakov Milatović, welcomed the group.

Montenegro has a population of 630,000 and submitted its EU membership application 18 years before June 2026. Milatović has said his country hopes to join the EU by 2028. Macron told reporters that together with Germany, France has proposed a strengthened gradual integration process.

He said the proposal could mean a country aligned with the EU on certain criteria would be allowed to join certain bloc formats, such as attending European Council meetings. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama recently called for faster single market and Schengen zone integration for new members in exchange for no veto rights.

EU officials are considering denying new members veto rights for several years.

Merz suggested Ukraine could be granted a new status of associate member, allowing Ukrainian officials to take part in EU summits and ministerial meetings but not to vote. Macron said enlargement is very important from a geopolitical point of view because this region is also where Europe’s independence is at stake in terms of energy, security and migration routes.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Since then, Ukraine and Moldova have joined the queue of countries seeking EU accession alongside Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Brussels has long said the six Balkan states would join the EU together. Public support for EU membership in Serbia has dropped to below 50%.