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Europe Today: Costa habla en exclusiva con 'Euronews' mientras arranca la cumbre UE-Balcanes
Montenegro acoge una cumbre UE-Balcanes Occidentales, con la ampliación en el foco y Francia y Alemania pidiendo integración más gradual. Nuestra editora de la UE, Maria Tadeo, entrevista en exclusiva al presidente del Consejo Europeo, António Costa.
MÁS INFORMACIÓN : http://es.euronews.com/2026/06/05/europe-today-costa-habla-en-exclusiva-con-euronews-durante-la-cumbre-ue-balcanes
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Montenegro acoge una cumbre UE-Balcanes Occidentales, con la ampliación en el foco y Francia y Alemania pidiendo integración más gradual. Nuestra editora de la UE, Maria Tadeo, entrevista en exclusiva al presidente del Consejo Europeo, António Costa.
MÁS INFORMACIÓN : http://es.euronews.com/2026/06/05/europe-today-costa-habla-en-exclusiva-con-euronews-durante-la-cumbre-ue-balcanes
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01:00Plus, EU Justice Ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to discuss whether or not to extend the legal protection of Ukrainian
01:07men of military age who are currently living inside the European Union.
01:11EU sources told Euronews that a formal proposal will come out soon.
01:16But first, up to 30 European Heads of State are meeting in Tivat, Montenegro today with leaders from Western Balkan
01:22countries.
01:23The gathering is set to push EU enlargement up the list of priorities.
01:27For the latest, we can go now live straight to the town of Tivat in Montenegro, where our Europe editor,
01:32Maria Tadeo, is this morning for us.
01:34Great to have you with us, Maria.
01:36So it's a big day for the Balkans.
01:38But what's exactly happening beyond, of course, the photo ops and the handshakes?
01:43Well, of course, morning, Maeve.
01:46This summit is now about to start between European Union leaders, of course, and the Western Balkan countries.
01:52This is an important day for Montenegro.
02:00And we seem to be having technical difficulties there, speaking to Maria Tadeo, but don't worry, we'll go back to
02:05Maria a little bit later in the programme.
02:07But now we can actually play her exclusive interview with the EU Council President, that's, of course, Antonio Costa.
02:13This summit is coming in a very important momentum, when clearly Montenegro is doing very well.
02:22We have already approved the Working Party to start drafting the accession treaty.
02:28Last week, we have a new intergovernmental conference with Albania, and the Commission this week proposed to close three chapters
02:37in the Albanian negotiations.
02:39We will discuss new proposals to accelerate this process, to avoid precisely this idea that we are not going so
02:50well, because it's not reality.
02:52But it's very important to increase the trust in the European Union and increase also the motivation in the candidate
03:00states to be very clear that we are moving forward and we want to deliver on this process.
03:06And you mentioned Montenegro. Of course, we've been in the streets of this beautiful town, and they all say it's
03:1228 by 28.
03:13They believe they will hit this deadline. Is that the case when you've had your conversations bilateral this week?
03:19Well, they are doing very well.
03:21Now it's possible to close half the chapters before summer, and then we have three very hard-working months to
03:31try to close by the end of this year.
03:33And of course, in 2027, the first half of the year, we are more focused on the electoral election, election
03:42elections in different countries.
03:43But for sure, the second part of the year, we can come back on this issue.
03:48And if everything is okay, it will be possible. It's not impossible to be the 28th member states in 2028.
03:58And, President, some would argue because enlargement is now needed, and you say it yourself, it is a geopolitical imperative,
04:05some suggest the time to really think outside of the box has really come.
04:10Enlargement will be about merit, but maybe perhaps it's time to look at solutions as reverse membership, perhaps step-by
04:17-step membership has been signaled.
04:19There's the idea of joining without a veto. What's thinking outside the box for you?
04:24There are different things. First, the process is merit-based and will remain merit-based.
04:31The other thing is to simplify the proceedings. Perhaps you can reduce the moments when we take decisions.
04:38To streamline it.
04:39To streamline it. This is one thing.
04:41The other thing, finally, is the transitional period.
04:46We learned from the previous enlargement process that we always adopted transitional clauses on policies like agriculture, freedom of movement,
04:58and so on.
04:59And now, because we are talking about a very challenging enlargement, perhaps we need also transitional clauses on institutional matters.
05:10But it's early to discuss this. But it's important. For instance, President Vucic and Prime Minister Rama came publicly some
05:21months ago proposing some ideas.
05:24Chancellor Mertz also. And for sure, we will discuss a proposal from France and Germany to simplify the proceedings to
05:36move forward in this enlargement process.
05:38What it says to me is that there is an appetite to explore different solutions. Is that something that you
05:45also feel?
05:46This, this, perhaps there's not a landing zone yet, but ultimately that is a direction of travel.
05:51This enlargement will be different.
05:52All of these discussions about the proceedings, about the transitional period, about the simplification, our rules to work, all of
06:02these shows our common ambition to deliver as soon as possible in this enlargement process.
06:09This is, this is, this is, this is shows the really, really will of the member states and also the
06:15candidates to join the EU and to achieve this enlargement.
06:20And, President, you have been on a tour of the region. You were in Serbia. You spoke with the Serbian
06:26president, Aleksandar Vucic.
06:27Of course, this is a country that is fundamental when you look at the Western Balkans. But some would argue,
06:32and the commission says it openly, that not only the process is not moving ahead, there's actual serious backsliding in
06:38fundamental questions like the judiciary, the media, as you cited.
06:41These are key parts of a democracy. What was your one-on-one conversation with Aleksandar Vucic?
06:47It's true that last January, they stepped back on the judiciary, but now they are changing the law in the...
06:54Are you confident they will do it this time?
06:55They are doing, and they are full committed to comply with the recommendations from the Venice Commission.
07:05The Venice Commission has a meeting the next 12th of June, and immediately after, they will approve the new law
07:14to correct what they made in last January on the judiciary.
07:19And do you trust that President Vucic will do it this time around? Because some would argue there has been
07:24many promises made in the past, but actually not delivered.
07:27When you sat down with him privately, did you make it clear, it's you now that needs to move?
07:31It's not a matter of faith. It's very simple. They know what they need to do, and we are here
07:38to verify if they do or if they don't do.
07:41If they do, we move forward. If they don't do, we're still blocked.
07:44My conviction, as everybody understood, is there remain a problem with the body who needs to regulate the freedom of
07:54press, and this is an ongoing process with the civil society and with the government.
08:01You stress that to him?
08:02Yes, of course.
08:03And just on a different final point now, of course, this week there has been major developments when it comes
08:09to Ukraine and Moldova, also by extension, on their negotiations, opening the formal talks.
08:16Now Hungary has dropped that veto. What does that mean for the European Union and ultimately for the three countries?
08:21I think it's very important, first of all, for the bilateral relations between Hungary and the Ukraine, and Prime Minister
08:30Magyar announced that he believed that in three weeks they are in conditions to release the veto, and we can
08:39move forward.
08:40We are very advanced, and I believe that it's possible to open and at the same time close immediately several
08:48chapters because they have already done what they need to do to close the chapters.
08:55This is a huge symbolic moment for Ukraine. This process had been stuck for three years. This is, if it
09:00happens and materializes, is the start of something new.
09:04What does that say to you? Where is this union going? Does it mean it's a return to 27 unanimity?
09:09What do you read politically out of this?
09:11Look, I personally, I believe that we don't need to have the unanimity to open chapters and clusters.
09:19We just need the unanimity to close chapters and clusters.
09:24Secondly, that the bilateral issues should be, must be addressed for the different countries in order to don't block an
09:37entire process.
09:38And it's very positive that Prime Minister Magyar gave this clear sign that we are now leading with a new
09:46government, with a new policy in Hungary, and with a new attitude of Hungary in the European Union.
09:53And just lastly, in your final summit with Viktor Orban in attendance, you said nobody can blackmail the European Council.
10:00Do you feel validated?
10:02Well, the Hungarians understood. If Viktor Orban believed that someone in the Hungary will rewind him for trying to block
10:14a decision of the European Council, he was wrong.
10:18Well, President Costa, thank you so much for joining us.
10:21Thank you.
10:24Our Maria Tadeo there, speaking exclusively to Antonio Costa, as that Western Balkan Summit gets underway today in Tivat Montenegro.
10:32And we can actually bring in Maria Tadeo now, as those leaders are gathering. Maria, tell us what is happening.
10:39Good morning, Maeve. And of course, technical difficulties, because you see ultimately this helicopter that is hovering around this town
10:46repeatedly now for almost two days.
10:48There's a lot of jamming because ultimately you have more than 35 leaders.
10:52If you combine the EU institutions and the Western Balkans gathering here on an important day with Montenegro, because, as
10:58I say, multiple diplomats from this country insisting, talking to you and you're saying this will be 28 by 28,
11:0428 member states by 2028.
11:07And you saw from that interview with the head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, telling us this is a
11:12merit-based process.
11:13It will always be. But some of those rules need to be simplified.
11:17Picking up on that point, the French and the Germans now laying out the scene for a discussion today here
11:23in which they will, quote, quote,
11:25a call for a more structured, gradual integration of these candidates to motivate them to reform.
11:31The more they do, the more progress they make, the more benefits diplomats say they will be able to tap,
11:37including, by the way, access to the single market.
11:39And that is key because the single market is the moneymaker for the European Union.
11:44Just very briefly, for our viewers, the leaders confirmed to participate.
11:49The Serbian president, there was a lot of speculation as to whether or not Aleksandr Vucic would join the summit.
11:55We are told he is here. He landed yesterday.
11:57The leader who will not be in there with social speculation about him is the new Hungarian prime minister, Peter
12:03Magyar.
12:03We're not expecting him to participate at the summit.
12:06But, of course, he is one of the big protagonists with that breakthrough over with Ukraine, Maeve.
12:11OK, Maria Steyo, thank you so much for that live broadcast there.
12:14And, of course, for more of Maria's reporting there on the ground, you can visit Euronews.com
12:18or keep an eye on Euronews TV for her various interviews throughout the day.
12:21But now we can actually zoom into more about why the Western Balkans are so strategically important for Brussels.
12:28Our reporter, Jakub Janus, has this report.
12:33Top EU chiefs are gathering in TIVAT, Montenegro for the EU Western Balkans Summit.
12:38And Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Kosovo
12:44are at various stages of trying to join the bloc.
12:47And that's cool, but your reporter is curious.
12:50With the EU already struggling to manage 27 member states,
12:53what's the point of Brussels pushing for enlargement right now?
12:58Let's see them up, because geographically, the region is completely surrounded by the EU.
13:03And for nearly two decades, a period of relative calm kept enlargement on the back burner.
13:09But Russia's invasion of Ukraine shattered that peace,
13:12turning EU expansion into a critical security priority.
13:16But it's also about money.
13:18Look, the EU is already the region's primary trading partner and investor.
13:22And only last year, the total trade reached over 87 billion euros.
13:27And we're talking about a massive two-way exchange of heavy machinery,
13:31chemicals and metals flowing back and forth across the border.
13:34And hear me out on that.
13:36The EU exported far more than it imported, running a handsome profit.
13:41Yet, the EU is not the only power eyeing the region.
13:44Oh, no.
13:44Brussels faces immense outside pressure because Moscow, Beijing and Washington
13:49are all actively competing for strategic influence there.
13:53So if Europe leaves power vacuum on its doorstep, others will gladly fill it.
13:57And the region has already become a new front line for geopolitical tensions.
14:02It is most visible in Serbia,
14:04where the government refuses to align with EU sanctions against Moscow.
14:07Finally, EU capitals fear adding more nations will paralyze decision-making
14:12under the current voting rules.
14:14This is why Albania and Serbia proposed a face integration,
14:18temporarily waiving their veto rights just to get through the door.
14:21And as European Council Chief Antonio Costa travels around the region,
14:25Brussels is no longer driven by an idealistic dream of European unity.
14:30This is a cold calculation to secure borders.
14:32Because if the EU doesn't act, the alternative is a region politically dependent on Russia,
14:38economically reliant on Chinese investment,
14:40or potentially turned into the 51st state of the US,
14:44as it was already suggested with Greenland, or Iceland, or Canada.
14:48I mean, you get the point.
14:55Jakob Janos there on the high stakes of that EU Western Balkan Summit
14:58that comes as protesters are flocking to the streets of neighbouring Albania.
15:02To speak out against the construction of a $1.6 billion luxury resort
15:06backed by President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
15:10More on that story on euronews.com.
15:12But now, Ukraine's President Vladimir Selenskyj
15:15has sent an open letter to the Russian President.
15:18In it, he says that Vladimir Putin is under pressure from his own people.
15:21He calls for a one-on-one meeting to end the war.
15:25The letter arrived as Putin was answering questions from the press in St. Petersburg.
15:29For more, we can bring in our Ukraine correspondent,
15:31Sasha Vakilina, who's on the move today.
15:33Good morning, Sasha. Thanks for joining us.
15:34It's quite an interesting read.
15:36Tell us more about this letter and what exactly prompted it.
15:41Absolutely, Maeve.
15:42In an unprecedented step, for the first time
15:45since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine,
15:47over four years ago,
15:49Vladimir Zelenskyj released the first open letter to Putin,
15:54addressing Russian President directly
15:57and personally with a very clear message.
16:01Quote, the choice is yours now.
16:03Enough of war.
16:04Ukraine proposes to end this war.
16:07I am proposing a meeting, Zelenskyj said.
16:11Now, he also provided more details about the possible venue for the meeting.
16:15He said that Vladimir Putin spends half of his 26 years' term
16:19as the leader of Russia waging the war against Ukraine,
16:22and therefore, there is nothing for Ukraine's president to do in Moscow
16:25the same way as there is nothing for Russian president to do in Kiev.
16:29Therefore, Zelenskyj said that the meeting could possibly take place
16:31in our mediating countries.
16:33That could be Switzerland, that could be Turkey,
16:36or that could be some of the Middle Eastern countries, he said.
16:39Now, Zelenskyj also commented on who else could be participating
16:42in this meeting, in this talk.
16:44He said that he would want to see the United States participating there
16:47because he said Washington is the one who can guarantee and participate
16:51in building the new security architecture in this part of the world.
16:54But also, he said, since the war is taking place in Europe,
16:58Zelenskyj believes that Europe has to be at that negotiating table
17:03and has to be present at the future meeting.
17:06But the message there, Maeve, is clear.
17:08He clearly and openly told Vladimir Putin,
17:11you can stop your war.
17:14Okay, Sasha, Vakilina, thank you so much for that live update.
17:17Now, the ongoing war in Ukraine, confrontations with China over trade,
17:22a more hostile US that no longer shares the interests of the EU
17:25and Europe's innovation problems.
17:27Just a glimpse of some of the serious matters being discussed today
17:31and yesterday at the Brussels Economic Security Conference
17:33hosted by the European Policy Centre.
17:36Our correspondent, Shona Murray, has been covering the event
17:38and moderating it as well and joins us now live this morning.
17:41Good morning, Shona.
17:42Just tell us what's on the agenda today.
17:46Well, good morning, Maeve.
17:47As we know, and as you mentioned there,
17:49Europe is facing so many challenges on various fronts,
17:52not least, of course, the war in Ukraine
17:54and the urgent need for Europe to step up in investment
17:56when it comes to security and defence.
17:59We also have an acknowledgement across Europe and in Brussels here
18:02that the US is no longer the reliable partner it used to be.
18:05So there needs to be a move away from interdependence with Chinese
18:09and United States tech.
18:11There's also overcapacity when it comes to Chinese exports.
18:14So in order to face these challenges,
18:16there needs to be massive scaling up of investment
18:19because as we heard from the famous Mario Draghi report,
18:22Europe could be in mortal danger.
18:24And in order to speak about this, I'm joined by Nadia Calvino,
18:27President of the European Investment Bank.
18:29You're very welcome.
18:31Tell us, first of all, the AIB has really changed
18:34in the last couple of years because of the war in Ukraine
18:36and has started to invest, for example, in security and defence,
18:39something that would have been maybe unheard of 10 years ago.
18:43Absolutely.
18:442025 has been a game changer for the AIB in this area.
18:48We have expanded the scope of the activities we financed
18:51so that now we are financing pure military
18:53as well as funds and companies that are active in all areas of defence.
18:57And we have also increased the ceilings for this investment.
19:01So the investment has multiplied times four.
19:04And we are on track to meet our target this year
19:06of financing 5% of our total finance in the EU,
19:10devoting it to security and defence.
19:13And it's not, I suppose, direct kinetic goods that you're investing in, is it?
19:17Or how do you sort of get away with not providing directly bullets and guns and so on?
19:23What kind of investment in defence and so on?
19:25Well, Europe has massive needs.
19:27And the European Investment Bank is uniquely placed
19:30to finance large-scale infrastructures with long-term loans,
19:34also research and development, large-scale programs of leading companies,
19:39Thales or Indra in Europe, for example.
19:41Industrial Capacity, we are financing quantum systems production of drones,
19:46and also financing small-sized companies
19:49that are supplying in the supply chain of large European contractors.
19:53And the emerging ecosystem of private venture capital funds
19:58that are specialising in this area.
19:59Actually, in 2026, we're going to launch a new wave of financing capital injections
20:04in this area of investment funds.
20:06I mean, also, since the war in Ukraine,
20:08we've also noticed, we've not noticed,
20:10it's been a major issue as Europe's energy dependence on Russia initially,
20:14but also the implications of the closure of the Strait of Ormuz,
20:17getting gas and oil to the European continent.
20:20Tell us about the plans for Europeans' energy independence.
20:25Well, I think that in the last years in the war in Ukraine
20:27and now the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East
20:30send a very clear message to Europe,
20:32and that is we need to break free from our dependence on fossil fuels.
20:36It's clear.
20:37And the European Investment Bank, being the climate bank,
20:41is very well placed and is actually financing large-scale infrastructures,
20:45for example, greets, interconnectors.
20:47Half of the projects ongoing in Europe are financed by the EIB.
20:51Also, we're financing energy efficiency for SMEs,
20:54research and development of new fuels,
20:57clean tech autonomy and Europe's strategic autonomy
21:01and economic security in this area, solar, wind.
21:05We are very well placed, I think.
21:07And what we see is also that there is a strong demand
21:10for EIB financing in this area.
21:12So I think that we will also hit a record this year
21:15in terms of financing for the clean transition
21:17to make it a European success.
21:19And the other piece that we heard from the European Commission this week
21:21is around tech sovereignty and the need for the EU and Europe
21:24to have its own access to the tech sector and tech services
21:28because of concerns around security.
21:30And that is going to be requiring massive scale-up on investment.
21:34Tell us about the plans for that and how quickly they can be done.
21:37Yeah, absolutely.
21:38Europe needs to have technological leadership and also autonomy
21:42when it comes to key components of these solar and wind infrastructures, for example.
21:47In that sense, we are moving quite fast.
21:49Only earlier this week, I was in Spain.
21:52We signed an important financing agreement
21:54for the research program of a company called Inge Team,
21:57present everywhere around the world,
21:59that produces solar inverters.
22:01And that allows us to scale up Europe's capacity
22:04in an area which is quite critical for the solar panel deployment.
22:09So from the European Investment Bank,
22:11we are supporting the approach of the European Commission
22:14and accompanying and joining the European Commission
22:16in ensuring that Europe becomes independent,
22:19not only when it comes to the fuel supply,
22:21but also when it comes to the technologies and industrial capacity.
22:24Okay, Nadia Calvino, and you'll be speaking later on in the next hour or so
22:27here at the Brussels Economic Security Forum.
22:29Thank you very much for joining us on Euronews.
22:31And back to you, Maeve.
22:32Thank you so much, Shona Murray,
22:33and of course to Nadia Calvino, the head of the EIB there.
22:36And thank you so much for tuning in to us this morning on Europe Today.
22:40For more news and analysis on that EU Western Balkan summit
22:43taking place in Tivat, Montenegro today,
22:46do stay with us here on Euronews
22:47or visit Euronews.com for longer reads.
22:50Take care.
22:50Thanks so much for tuning in.
22:51And see you soon on Euronews.
23:49Euronews.
24:16Euronews.
24:21Thank you.
24:51Euronews.
25:01Euronews.
25:02Thank you.
25:02Gracias por ver el video.
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