Overview

• Ursula von der Leyen begins a four-day tour of the Western Balkans, visiting Albania first, to discuss EU enlargement efforts.
• Von der Leyen refrains from commenting on the Italy-Albania asylum center dispute, citing it as a bilateral issue but promises close monitoring.
• Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama aims for EU membership by 2030, acknowledging the challenges of meeting EU reform requirements.
• The EU has approved a growth plan offering financial aid to Western Balkan countries, contingent on implementing economic reforms.
• Von der Leyen assures continued EU support for the region, including in natural disaster responses, underscoring European solidarity.