The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, says the bloc should start formal accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania as soon as possible to enhance the security and defense of the Balkans as concerns that Russia's invasion of Ukraine will create volatility throughout the region.
Speaking at a news conference in Skopje on March 14, Borrell said that Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine last month was a moment to "reinvigorate the enlargement process" of the EU.
Borrell added that the bloc will continue discussions with Bulgaria to defuse tensions between the two neighbors that have threatened to stall Skopje’s bid for European integration.
The two countries have sparred for decades over language and historical issues. The row peaked in 2020 when EU member Bulgaria vetoed the start of membership talks with North Macedonia. Sofia argues that North Macedonia has failed to honor agreements it made in a 2017 bilateral friendship treaty.
Bulgaria has also called on North Macedonia to end purported "discrimination" against its ethnic-Bulgarian minority, to eradicate "hate speech" in the media, and to make changes to the country's history textbooks.
Skopje previously had to settle another long-running historical dispute over the use of the name "Macedonia" with its southern neighbor, Greece. Under that settlement, Skopje agreed to change the name of the country from Macedonia to North Macedonia.