Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti says his country will formally apply to become a member of the European Union by the end of 2022 despite concerns over tensions with neighboring Serbia, also an EU aspirant.
Kurti told reporters on June 10 after a meeting in Pristina with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that his country aspires "to the status of EU candidate" and plans to submit its application before 2023.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February, officials from Kosovo have stressed their desire for closer ties with the West -- including EU and NATO membership -- to enhance the country's economic and military security.
"Europe is our destiny. Europe is our future," Kurti said.
Noting tensions with Serbia, Scholz warned that the two neighbors have to "find a political solution with a comprehensive, sustainable agreement that also contributes to regional stability."
Serbia has yet to recognize Kosovo as a country even though it broke free of the former Yugoslavia to declare its independence in 2008. Most EU countries recognize Kosovo, though Russia and China, allies of Serbia, do not.
The 27-member bloc has tried to broker a dialogue between the two Balkan neighbors for over a decade, but so far the efforts have failed to achieve a normalization of ties.
Scholz said that the integration of Western Balkan countries into the EU remains a priority for his government.
Scholz, speaking at a joint news conference after his talks with Kurti in Kosovo's capital, said Germany will hold a meeting later this year in Berlin to assess the progress made by the six candidates toward meeting EU membership criteria.
Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has added to calls to bring not only Kosovo but also Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina closer to the EU through full membership or some alternative.
EU leaders stopped short of offering a concrete timetable for membership to the six Western Balkans candidates at a summit in Slovenia in October, only reiterating the bloc's "commitment to the enlargement process."
The EU statement was met with disappointment by Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo.
Asked about whether any progress had been made in convincing skeptical countries about the contentious issue of the visa liberalization process for Kosovo, Scholz said: "We are committed to visa liberalization as soon as possible, as the conditions are met and we talk about this with our partners so that they too agree as we have agreed."
For the visa regime to be lifted, all EU member states must vote in favor, but countries such as France, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands have opposed the measure because of what they perceive as a lack of progress on the Kosovar authorities' side in tackling corruption and organized crime.
Scholz also urged Kosovo and Serbia to speed up their dialogue, saying the war in Ukraine has made resolving the differences between Kosovo and Serbia even more important.
"It is important for Kosovo that the EU-mediated dialogue with Serbia be moved forward. In times like this, the value of security and freedom becomes clearer to us...it is an even greater and more important reason that Kosovo and Serbia, through an inclusive and sustainable agreement, find a political solution that would contribute to regional stability," said Scholz.
Scholz is on a two-day trip to the Balkans. From Pristina, he traveled to Belgrade.