(MENAFN- UkrinForm) European Council President Antonio Costa stated this during the EU Enlargement Summit in Brussels on Tuesday, November 4, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkan countries belong in the European Union. 2025 was a year of concrete progress for our enlargement partners. We have seen very hard work deliver very real progress," Costa said.

He stressed that both Moldova and Ukraine have made impressive progress.

"Ukraine - a country at war - and Moldova facing repeated attacks on its democracy and sovereignty, have, in the course of one year, completed the screening of the acquis by the Commission-at record speed," he said, adding that from January 2026, Moldova and Ukraine are joining the European Union's free-roaming zone.

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According to Costa, Montenegro could become the EU's 28th member by the end of 2026, having achieved the biggest progress so far. He added that Kosovo should also get a positive signal from the EU, as it remains an integral part of the Western Balkans enlargement perspective.

Costa called EU enlargement the EU's top priority in the current geopolitical context.

"In an age of geopolitical uncertainty and economic instability, an enlarged European Union means a safer, stronger and more peaceful Europe, at home and in the world. Enlarging is the best investment we can make today for our future," he concluded.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

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