European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, Montenegro on 5 June 2026, called for turning the current momentum for enlargement into concrete progress toward membership. In her opening remarks, she emphasised that the European Union 'will not be complete without the Western Balkans' and that the region's place is 'at the heart of the European Union.'
The summit, the second such gathering within six months, focuses on three main areas: closer cooperation on security and geopolitics, bringing economies and people closer through the Growth Plan, and making the enlargement process faster, more visible, and more strategic. Von der Leyen specifically addressed Montenegro, the host country, saying 'there is momentum. Let us turn this momentum into movement, and the movement into membership.'
The speech contained no concrete proposals, measurable objectives, numerical targets, new institutional structures, deadlines, or budget numbers. Instead, it offered broad declarative support for enlargement and calls for action. The policy orientation is clearly pro-enlargement, aiming to accelerate the integration of Western Balkan countries into the EU. The tone is conciliatory and friendly, reinforcing the EU's commitment to the region without introducing new demands or conditions.
No prior coverage of this specific summit or related enlargement developments has been published in the last 180 days, so the article stands on its own as a clean news report of the President's remarks.