Borrell: Either EU or Russia

Borrell told a press conference following lunch with the ministers that the EU welcomes the strategic and courageous choices of the countries that have fully aligned with the EU foreign policy and sanctions against Russia, with a message to those that have not done this, including Serbia, that maintaining close ties with Russia is not compatible with the European Union accession process.

“We want to advance on enlargement, and we sent a strong message that they need to seize the momentum in the enlargement process created by the swift progress of Ukraine. Ukraine is progressing, they

also] have to follow this path at the same pace. Now is the time for them to speed up reforms, to align with the European Union’s standards and to prepare their societies for accession. There is an opportunity, a unique opportunity. They have to use it,” said Borrell.

He added that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue was also discussed at the meeting, and explained that being a member of the European Union is an exercise of cooperation, and that the states that fought in the past should not only be neighbors but friends and partners.

“Full and swift implementation of the Agreement is the only way for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. Tensions and mutual provocations have to reach an end. The negative atmosphere and lack of constructiveness also have to be reversed. Being a member of the European Union means being able to cooperate and to act as good neighbors, overcoming all the difficulties of the past,” said Borrell.