The President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, said on September 13 that the future of the Western Balkans and Ukraine is in the European Union (EU). 

During an annual State of the EU address to members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Von der Leyen said the union "cannot leave our fellow citizens alone". 

"The future of Ukraine is in our union. The future of the Western Balkans is in the EU. The future of Moldova is in the EU. And, I know how important the European perspective is for many people in Georgia," Von der Leyen declared. 

The "State of the Union" speech is the most important annual moment for the EU. It is the annual general speech of the president of the European Commission to the plenary session of the European Parliament, and is held regularly in September. The speech includes actions the European Commission intends to take through legislation and other initiatives by the end of next year. 

Von der Leyen said that "Europe responds to historical calls. History invites us to finish building our union. In a world where some try to subjugate countries one by one, we cannot leave our fellow Europeans alone. In the world where size and weight are important, the conclusion of our union is, without a doubt, in the strategic interest of the EU". 

She also mentioned the Balkan region when she spoke about cooperation in the management of illegal migration. 

"The EU migration pact has ensured a balance between human rights and border protection, between sovereignty and solidarity, between security and humanity. We have cooperated closely with the countries of the Western Balkans and we have reduced the waves of illegal migration", she emphasized. 

In August, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, called for the year 2030 to be set as the deadline by which the European Union and the candidate countries are ready for enlargement, during the Bled Strategic Forum. 

The countries of the Western Balkans have been promised a European perspective since 2003, at a summit in Thessaloniki. Since then, only Croatia among the countries of the region has joined the EU, in 2013. 

Montenegro and Serbia have started membership negotiations for years, while in July 2022 Albania and North Macedonia have also started them. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina received the status of a candidate country in December last year, while Kosovo only has a Stabilization-Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU.