The New Union Post argues that enlargement received limited attention in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s 2026 State of the Union address, particularly compared with the previous year. The main announcement was that the Commission would soon propose roadmaps for the most advanced candidates, expected to include Montenegro and Albania and potentially Moldova, while reiterating that the process would remain merit-based and respect for EU values non-negotiable. The speech condemned the glorification of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić following his funeral in Belgrade but did not indicate possible consequences for Serbia’s accession process. It also made no reference to the forthcoming pre-enlargement policy reviews intended to prepare the EU for new members. European Policy Centre analyst Berta López Domènech warned that discussing future roadmaps without acknowledging Montenegro’s possible completion of negotiations risks making accession appear increasingly distant and reflects continued hesitation within the EU to assume political ownership of enlargement. Read more here.
Source: The New Union Post
