By Xinhua writers Zhang Xuan, Nemanja Cabric

Western Balkan leaders welcomed the renewed momentum of EU enlargement with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

BELGRADE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Top European Union (EU) officials and Western Balkan leaders on Friday launched a new phase of gradual economic inclusion of the Western Balkan countries into the bloc, backed by a 6-billion-euro (about 6.92 billion U.S. dollars) financial facility aimed at accelerating reforms and the region's EU accession process.

The EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat, Montenegro, was held six months after a previous gathering in Brussels. Hosted by Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic and chaired by European Council President Antonio Costa, the meeting brought together European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and leaders from across the Western Balkans.

Von der Leyen dismissed concerns that a merit-based accession process would slow EU enlargement, calling Western Balkans integration a geostrategic necessity for Europe's security. She said Montenegro's goal of joining the EU by 2028 is "within reach," potentially making it the bloc's 28th member state.

Costa echoed that assessment, noting that the EU has begun drafting Montenegro's accession treaty and that the country's 2028 membership target is now firmly in sight.

Milatovic said Montenegro is ready for the final stage of accession, while Metsola reaffirmed the European Parliament's strong support for enlargement, calling it a "strategic win" for both the EU and candidate countries.

Ahead of the summit, Macron and Merz jointly proposed reforms to the EU enlargement process that would allow candidate countries to gain phased access to the EU single market and institutions as they implement required reforms.

Macron said countries that successfully align specific sectors with EU standards could begin participating in corresponding EU frameworks before obtaining full membership. Merz noted that the bloc had failed to admit a new member for 13 years.

To accelerate reform, the EU rolled out the 6-billion-euro Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, linking grants and concessional loans to democratic reforms and alignment with EU policies, including its foreign and security positions, for example, sanctions on Russia.

Costa stressed that full alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy remains a key requirement for membership, describing it as an essential expression of European unity.

Regional leaders welcomed the renewed momentum with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Representing the largest candidate economy in the region, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed cautious optimism about Serbia's EU path, while reaffirming the country's independent and sovereign foreign policy. "I represent a free, sovereign, and independent country ... I alone make decisions within the framework of my jurisdiction," he said.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama called for decisive political will, saying the EU needs a "Helmut Kohl moment," while North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski voiced support for progress but stressed the importance of preserving national dignity.  ■