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Europe Today: Costa exkluzív interjút ad az Euronewsnak az EU–Nyugat-Balkán-csúcs idején
Nagy tétű EU–Nyugat-Balkán csúcs Montenegróban: Franciaország és Németország fokozatos uniós csatlakozási utat szorgalmaz, António Costa exkluzívan nyilatkozik
BŐVEBBEN : http://hu.euronews.com/2026/06/05/europe-today-costa-exkluzivan-nyilatkozik-az-euronewsnak-az-eunyugat-balkan-csucs-idejen
Iratkozzon fel: Az Euronews elérhető 12 nyelven
Nagy tétű EU–Nyugat-Balkán csúcs Montenegróban: Franciaország és Németország fokozatos uniós csatlakozási utat szorgalmaz, António Costa exkluzívan nyilatkozik
BŐVEBBEN : http://hu.euronews.com/2026/06/05/europe-today-costa-exkluzivan-nyilatkozik-az-euronewsnak-az-eunyugat-balkan-csucs-idejen
Iratkozzon fel: Az Euronews elérhető 12 nyelven
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NewsTranscript
00:14Good morning, it is Friday the 5th of June. I'm Maeve McMahon and this is Europe Today.
00:20Your morning dose of European news and context live here on Euronews.
00:25Coming up, EU enlargement is at the top of the agenda today as EU leaders gather in Montenegro with their
00:31Western Balkan partners.
00:33We'll be crossing live to Euronews' Maria Tadeo who spoke exclusively to the European Council President Antonio Costa.
00:39Meanwhile, the Iran-backed group Hezbollah has rejected a ceasefire proposal agreed by the Lebanese and Israeli governments in US
00:48-mediated talks.
00:48The group says Israel must withdraw all troops from southern Lebanon, but Israel's defence minister says the IDF would be
00:56continuing operations on the ground to, quote, dismantle terrorist infrastructure.
01:01Plus, 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.
01:15But 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. So 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's 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
02:06Maria a little bit later in the programme.
02:07But now we can actually play her exclusive interview with the EU Council President.
02:12That's, of course, Antonio Costa.
02:13This summit has come in a very important moment 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.
02:34And the Commission this week proposed to close three chapters in 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 a reality.
02:52But it's very important to increase the trust in the European Union and increase also the motivation in the candidate
03:00state 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.
03:15Is that the case when you've had your conversations bilateral this week?
03:19Well, they are doing very well.
03:22Now it's possible to close half the chapters before summer.
03:27And then we have three very hard-working months to try 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 elections in
03:43different 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.
03:53It'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,
04:06some suggest the time to really think outside of the box has really come.
04:10Enlargement will be about merit.
04:12But maybe, perhaps, it's time to look at solutions as reverse membership, perhaps step-by-step membership has been signaled.
04:19There's the idea of joining without a veto.
04:22What's thinking outside the box for you?
04:23Now, there are different things.
04:25First, the process is merit-based and will remain merit-based.
04:31Other thing is to simplify the proceedings.
04:35Perhaps you can reduce the moments when we take decisions.
04:38To streamline it.
04:39To streamline it.
04:40This is one thing.
04:41Other thing, finally, is the transitional period.
04:46We learn from the previous enlargement process that we always adopted transitional clauses on policies like agriculture, freedom of movement,
04:59and so on.
05:00And 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, Chancellor Mertz also, and for sure we will discuss a proposal from France and Germany
05:31to simplify the proceedings to move forward in this enlargement process.
05:39What it says to me is that there is an appetite to explore different solutions.
05:44Is that something that you also feel?
05:46This, perhaps there's not a landing zone yet, but ultimately that is a direction of travel.
05:51This enlargement will be different.
05:53All of these discussions about the proceedings, about the transitional period, about the simplification, our rules to work, all of
06:03these shows our common ambition to deliver as soon as possible in this enlargement process.
06:09This shows the really willing will of the member states and also the candidates to join the EU and to
06:19achieve 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 now 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.
06:43What 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.
06:53Are 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.
07:20And do you trust that President Vucic will do it this time around?
07:23Because some would argue there has been many promises made in the past, but actually not delivered.
07:27When you sat down with him privately, did you make it clear?
07:30It's you now that needs to move.
07:31It's not a matter of faith. It's very simple.
07:35They know what they need to do, and we are here to verify if they do or if they don't
07:40do.
07:41If they do, we move forward. If they don't do, we're still blocked.
07:44My conviction, as everybody understood, is there remains a problem with the body who needs to regulate the freedom of
07:54press.
07:56And this is an ongoing process with the civil society and with the government.
08:01And you stress that to him?
08:02Yes, of course.
08:03And just on a different final point now, of course, this week there have been major developments when it comes
08:09to Ukraine and Moldova,
08:12also by extension, on their negotiations, opening these formal talks.
08:16Now Hungary has dropped that veto.
08:18What 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.
08:29And the prime minister Magyar announced that he believed that in three weeks they are in conditions to release the
08:38veto and we can move 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.
08:57This process had been stuck for three years.
09:00This is, if it happens and materializes, is the start of something new.
09:04What does that say to you?
09:05Where is this union going?
09:07Does 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 the prime minister Magyar gave this clear sign that we are now leading with a
09:46new government, with a new policy in Hungary and with a new attitude of Hungary in the European Union.
09:54And just last thing, in your final summit with Viktor Orban in attendance, you said nobody can blackmail the European
10:00Council.
10:00Do you feel validated?
10:01Well, the Hungarians understood.
10:04If Viktor Orban believed that someone in the Hungary will rewind him for trying to block a decision of the
10:15European Council, he was wrong.
10:18Well, President Costa, thank you so much for joining us.
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.
10:36Maria, tell us what is happening.
10:39Good morning, Maven.
10:41Of course, technical difficulties because you see ultimately this helicopter that is hovering around this town repeatedly now for almost
10:48two 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.
11:15But 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, call for a more structured, gradual integration of these candidates to motivate them to
11:30reform.
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.
11:45Just 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 Aleksandar Vucic would join the summit.
11:55We are told he is here.
11:56He landed yesterday.
11:57The leader who will not be in there was also 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 or keep an
12:19eye 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 are at various stages of trying to join the
12:47bloc.
12:47And that's cool, but your reporter is curious.
12:50With the EU already struggling to manage 27 member states, what's the point of Brussels pushing for enlargement right now?
12:58Let's see the map, 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 piece, turning 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, chemicals and metals flowing back and forth across
13:34the 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 are 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, where the government refuses to align with EU sanctions against Moscow.
14:07Finally, EU capitals fear adding more nations will paralyze decision-making under the current voting rules.
14:14This is why Albania and Serbia proposed a phased integration, temporarily waiving their veto rights just to get through the
14:21door.
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, or 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,
15:07backed 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 has 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.
15:28For more, we can bring in our Ukraine correspondent, Sasha 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 since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine,
15:47over four years ago, Vladimir Zelenskyj released the first open letter to Putin,
15:54addressing Russian President directly and personally with a very clear message.
16:00The 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 spent over half of his 26 years' term as the leader of Russia
16:20waging the war against Ukraine, and therefore, there is nothing for Ukraine's President to do in Moscow
16:25the same way as there is nothing for a Russian President to do in Kiev.
16:29Therefore, Zelenskyj said that the meeting could possibly take place in our mediating countries.
16:33That could be Switzerland, that could be Turkey, or that could be some of the Middle Eastern countries, he said.
16:39Now, Zelenskyj also commented on who else could be participating in this meeting, in these talks.
16:44He said that he would want to see the United States participating there,
16:48because he said Washington is the one who can guarantee and participate in building the new security architecture
16:53in 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, mate, is clear.
17:08He clearly and openly told Vladimir Putin, you can't stop your war.
17:14Okay, Sasha, Vakilina, thank you so much for that live update there.
17:18Now, the ongoing war in Ukraine, confrontations with China over trade,
17:22a more hostile US that no longer shares the interests of the EU and Europe's innovation problems.
17:27Just a glimpse of some of the serious matters being discussed today and yesterday
17:31at the Brussels Economic Security Conference, hosted by the European Policy Centre.
17:36Our correspondent, Shona Murray, has been covering the event and moderating it as well,
17:39and joins us now live this morning.
17:41Good morning, Shona. Just tell us what's on the agenda today.
17:46Well, good morning, Maeve.
17:47As we know, and as you mentioned there, Europe is facing so many challenges on various fronts,
17:52not least, of course, the war in Ukraine and 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 that the US is no longer
18:04the reliable partner it used to be, so there needs to be a move away from interdependence
18:08with Chinese and United States tech.
18:11There's also overcapacity when it comes to Chinese exports.
18:14So in order to face these challenges, there needs to be massive scaling up of investment
18:19because, as we heard from the famous Mario Draghi report, Europe could be in mortal danger.
18:24And in order to speak about this, I'm joined by Nadia Calvino, president of the European Investment Bank.
18:29You're very welcome.
18:31Tell us, first of all, the AIB has really changed in the last couple of years because of the war
18:36in 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 finance so that now we are financing pure military.
18:54As well as funds and companies that are active in all areas of defence.
18:58And 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 of financing 5% of our total finance in
19:10the 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 what, 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?
19:26Well, Europe has massive needs.
19:28And the European Investment Bank is uniquely placed to finance large-scale infrastructures with long-term loans.
19:34Also, research and development, large-scale programs of leading companies,
19:39TALES or INRA in Europe, for example.
19:42Industrial capacity, we are financing quantum systems production of drones.
19:47And also financing small-sized companies that are supplying in the supply chain of large European contractors.
19:54And the emerging ecosystem of private venture capital funds that are specializing in this area.
19:59Actually, in 2026, we're going to launch a new wave of financing capital injections in this area of investment funds.
20:06I mean, also, since the war in Ukraine, we'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,
20:28and now the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East send 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, is very well placed
20:42and is actually financing large-scale infrastructures, for example, grids, interconnectors.
20:47Half of the projects ongoing in Europe are financed by the EIB.
20:51Also, we're financing energy efficiency for SMEs, research and development of new fuels,
20:57clean tech autonomy and Europe's strategic autonomy and 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 for EIB financing in this area.
21:12So I think that we will also hit a record this year in 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 is around tech sovereignty
21:22and the need for the EU and Europe to 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.
21:50Only earlier this week, I was in Spain.
21:52We signed an important financing agreement for the research program of a company called Inge Team,
21:57present everywhere around the world, that produces solar inverters.
22:01And that allows us to scale up Europe's capacity in an area which is quite critical for the solar panel
22:08deployment.
22:09So from the European Investment Bank, we are supporting the approach of the European Commission
22:14and accompanying and joining the European Commission in ensuring that Europe becomes independent,
22:19not only when it comes to the fuel supply, but also when it comes to the technologies and industrial capacity.
22:25Okay, Nadia Calvino, and you'll be speaking later on in the next hour or so here at the Brussels Economic
22:28Security Forum.
22:29Thank you very much for joining us on Euronews.
22:31And back to you, Maeve.
22:32Thank you so much, Shona Murray, and of course, 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 taking place in Tivat, Montenegro today,
22:46do stay with us here on Euronews or visit Euronews.com for longer reads.
22:50Take care. Thanks so much for tuning in and see you soon on Euronews.
23:27Euronews.
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