Italy says Russia or China could gain influence in Western Balkans if EU dream fails

Italy’s foreign minister has voiced strong support for Western Balkan countries’ European Union accession bids, saying that otherwise the region could swing towards Russia or China. Speaking during a visit to North Macedonia, Antonio Tajani said the bloc should “lend a hand to those peoples who want to be with us Europeans.” North Macedonia and neighboring Albania launched membership negotiations with the block in 2022, in a process expected to take years. The other Western Balkan countries seeking to join the EU are Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Kosovo.