EU-WESTERN BALKANS SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN BRUSSELS ON NOVEMBER 25

BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 23 /SRNA/ - EU and Western Balkan leaders will meet in Brussels on November 25 for a summit that will highlight the importance of relations between the Union and the countries of the region, the European Council has announced.

The statement said that the EU would be represented by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Costa said in the statement that the future of the Balkans lies in the EU and that the accession of the remaining countries of the region is "a priority for the Union, a shared ambition and a key geopolitical investment", adding that the European Union would remain the region's most reliable partner.

The European Council said that the EU-Western Balkans Summit would provide an opportunity to reaffirm Brussels' commitment to the accession of the countries of the region to the bloc and to "encourage" partners to accelerate the implementation of key reforms and fulfil their most important obligations on the path towards European integration.