Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today invited the countries of the Balkans for a possible cooperation in the production of ammunition, which Ukraine needs in its confrontation with Russian aggression. He made this proposal at the summit held in Tirana, where the countries of Southeast Europe participated. The joint statement, adopted at the end of the meeting, meanwhile called on the international community to strongly increase support for Ukraine
Meanwhile, after the Summit for Ukraine that took place this Wednesday, Tirana will welcome another important summit tomorrow: that of the Western Balkans with the European Union.
The focus of the EU-BP summit will be the 6 billion euro package of funds that the European Union will distribute in the form of aid, loans and grants for certain projects, for the 6 countries of the region.
While in today's summit where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski also participated, Kosovo was represented by President Vjosa Osmani, none of the leaders of Pristina will come to Tirana in Thursday's summit.
Although it was rumored that there would be a showdown between Aleksandër Vucic and Albin Kurti, and perhaps a meeting under the mediation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, the name of the head of the Kosovar government is missing from the list of participants published by the Prime Minister's Office.
Another absence is that of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as Brussels seems to have chosen to be represented by the Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi.
Meanwhile, for the first time as Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi will be part of an important summit.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS:
Edi Rama – Prime Minister of Albania
Aleksandar Vucic – President of Serbia
Milojko Spajič – Prime Minister of Montenegro
Borjana Kristo – President of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Talat Xhaferi – Prime Minister of North Macedonia
Oliver Varhelyi – EU Commissioner for Enlargement
Majlinda Bregu – General Secretary for Regional Cooperation
Danijela Gacevic – Acting Head of CEFTA
Gert Jan Koopman – General Director of the EC negotiating group for Neighborhood and Enlargement
Xiaoqing Yu – Director of the World Bank for the Western Balkans
Charlotte Ruhe – EBRD Managing Director for Central and South Eastern Europe
Matej Zakonjsek – Director of the Community Secretariat for Transport
Maja Pishkevic – Center of Europe in the Atlantic Council and representative of the center in the Western Balkans
Alessandro Bragonzi – Head of Regional Representation for the Western Balkans at the European Investment Bank (EIB)
Lulzim Rafuna – Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo
Ines Muçostafa - President of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Albania
Andi Dobrushi – Executive Director of OSFA