In Belgrade, I reaffirmed the EU’s continued commitment to Serbia’s European perspective.
Enlargement is based on building trust. The road ahead is demanding but the path is clear.
Follow live my press conference with President @avucic ↓ https://t.co/q7IcfQLHtL
— António Costa (@eucopresident) June 4, 2026
The European Union wants to expand. And it is looking at changing its rules to allow for it to happen more quickly:
The EU will look for ways to make it quicker for the Western Balkan countries to join the bloc
June 4, 2026
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — The European Union will look for new ways to speed up the membership process for six candidate countries from the Western Balkans at an upcoming summit, European Council President Antonio Costa said on Thursday.
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro have been seeking to join the bloc for years but are yet to complete the merit-based process. The EU has recently sought to encourage reform in the candidate nations, fearing the growing influence of Russia and China.
Costa said at a news conference in Serbia’s capital Belgrade that “if you want to boost the trust between each other, we cannot create this feel of frustration” over apparent slow progress toward membership. It doesn’t mean it will be easier, Costa added, “but it means how we can deliver together more rapidly.”
The summit on Friday in the Montenegrin coastal town of Tivat will gather top European leaders and officials from the candidate countries. They are all at different stages, with Montenegro and Albania leading the way. …
The EU has also said Serbia and Kosovo must normalize relations in order for their membership applications to progress.
Kosovo was a Serbian province until NATO’s 78-day bombing campaign in 1999 ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, proclaimed in 2008. https://apnews.com/article/serbia-eu-summit-western-balkans-montenegro-costa-030ac7c6bf4d5e3fd18725d53b501086
Other than Albania, all the other listed Balkan states were formally part of the Yugoslavia.
Last year, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia joined the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) which is involved with cross-border use of the Euro (see SEPA and BRICS+ pushing against US dollar dominance–might the Euro rise to dominance?).
The EU wants to be more powerful in the world geopolitically, militarily, and economically. That is part of why it wants to expand.
We know that Europe will reorganize per Revelation 17:12-13–the proposals to quicken accession into the EU may be considered as a type of forerunner to that as recent comments from the EU has shown it is willing to change various of its own rules.
The fact is that the EU wants to dominate trade, which the Bible points to a power in Europe doing (cf. Revelation 17 & 18), and the EU wants to be larger.
Many EU leaders want the rest of the Balkan nations:
The enlargement to the Western Balkans is widely considered a key foreign policy tool and strategic priority in the EU as a whole, to the point that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen referred it as “reunification of Europe” in her last State of the Union speech. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/11/03/taking-the-pulse-of-eu-enlargement-at-the-euronews-summit-newsletter
Reunification of Europe?
Basically the only times Europe was unified was under ancient Rome and the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire.’
At risk of repeat, let me add that in 2024, the Chancellor of Germany stated, “The European Union is only complete with the Western Balkans as part of it.” Expansion of the European Union is the plan as confirmed by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (see EU meets with Balkan leaders on the hope of expansion at Berlin Process Summit 2024).
Consider also that it was reported: EU leaders still eye Balkans for geography, minerals, and military reasons.
Notice also:
Forget idealism—the multi-billion euro reason the EU wants the Western Balkans in the bloc
4 June 2026
Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovia, North Macedonia Kosovo are at various stages of trying to join the bloc. Geographically, the region is completely surrounded by the EU. For nearly two decades, a period of relative calm kept enlargement on the backburner, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shattered that peace, turning expansion into a critical security priority.
However, it is also about money. The EU is already the region’s primary trading partner and investor and only last year, the total trade reached over €87 billion. It is a massive, two-way exchange of heavy machinery, chemicals, and metals flowing back and forth across the border. What’s crucial, the EU exported far more than it imported, running a handsome profit.
Yet, the EU is not the only power eyeing the region. Brussels faces immense outside pressure because Moscow, Beijing, and Washington are all actively competing for strategic influence there. If Europe leaves a power vacuum on its own doorstep, others will gladly fill it.
The region has already become a new frontline for geopolitical tensions, which is most visible in Serbia, where the government refuses to align with EU sanctions against Moscow.
Finally, EU capitals fear adding more nations will paralyse decision-making under the current voting rules. That is why Albania and Serbia proposed a phased integration, temporarily waiving their veto rights just to get through the door.
As European Council chief António Costa travels around the region, Brussels is clearly no longer driven by an idealistic dream of European unity. This is a cold calculation to secure borders.
Because if the EU doesn’t act, the alternative is a region politically dependent on Russia, economically reliant on Chinese investment, or potentially turned into the 51st state of the US … https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/06/04/watch-forget-idealismthe-multi-billion-euro-reason-the-eu-wants-the-western-balkans-in-the
Most of the nations in the Western Balkan region have waited for a long time to be in the EU, and many expected that process would be completed–or at least much further along than it is by now.
There are prophetic reasons that point to the EU expanding into the Balkans–instead of reposting them here, check out a post from last week: European Union looking to change rules to speed up enlargement.
We also have the following video:
EU Enlargement of the Beast?
The European Union recently approved its “2025 Enlargement Package”. This means the European Union is continuing to give consideration for inclusion of other countries into its political, military, and economic bloc. Why would the European Union want to do this? The saying “Might makes Right” come to mind. Is it possible the inclusion of the population of other countries along with the increased population, trade, and economic clout would increase the might of, not only the European Union, but also power and economies of the nations being included? Has the growth of Europe starting with the Benelux nations already primarily expanded towards the south and the east such as is prophesied for the ‘little horn’ of Daniel 8? Does the EU want the rest of the Balkan nations, which are also basically south and east of Benelux, to be part of it? Will this new Union really be stronger in the long run? If new nations do join the European Union, will they remain joined? So, who cares if other nations join the European Union? Who cares if the EU will be stronger or not? Well, what if Biblical prophecies were being fulfilled? Would anyone care then? Would it matter to you if the European Union plays a major role in Biblical prophecy? What if the European Union was the sixth king of Rev 17:10 would you care then? What is Europe will reorganize and be controlled by the ‘666’ Beast? Would you be concerned? You should be. Here’s the link to our free eBook, “Lost Tribes and Prophecies”, offered in this video that offers much more information on the European Union, the King of the North, and the Beast of the Sea. If you don’t understand the role of the European Union in Bible prophecy, you need to watch this video. The European Union and the Beast of the Sea; listen as Dr. Thiel shines the light of Biblical prophecy on current world events. The time grows shorter.
Here is a link to our video: EU Enlargement of the Beast?
The European Union wants the Balkans. But it also wants more than that. It would like Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, and more.
Furthermore, notice the following:
«Better as the 28th EU member than the 51st US state». Finland’s President proposed inviting Canada to the European Union
4 June 2026
Finnish President Alexander Stubb expressed the opinion that the European Union should significantly expand and eventually unite about 40 states. In his view, this will help the EU strengthen its position on the international stage and become a more influential force in the world, writes CNBC.
Speaking at the Eurelectric Power Summit in Helsinki, Stubb named countries that could potentially join the European Union or establish particularly close relations with it. Among them are the United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Norway, and Iceland.
According to the Finnish leader, there is now a favorable moment for EU expansion, as the war in Ukraine and changes in US policy are prompting many countries to re-evaluate the benefits of cooperation with the European Union.
He separately noted that the United Kingdom, which left the EU in 2020, should be brought as close as possible to the European community again. Speaking about Canada, Stubb jokingly remarked that it would be better for it to become the 28th member of the European Union than to join the United States as its 51st state, alluding to recent statements by US President Donald Trump.
The Finnish President also called not to forget about Turkey, which has long been a candidate for EU membership. In his opinion, this country is of great importance for Europe’s security. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of further integration of the Western Balkan countries.
Among the Nordic states, Stubb highlighted Iceland, where a referendum is planned on the question of starting negotiations for EU accession, as well as Norway, which is also reviewing its relations with the European Union. https://nashaniva.com/amp/en/396830
Europe will become a massive superstate. And yes, parts of Canada may be connected to it.
But, for now, the Balkans are the more likely nations to join in the nearer term.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2033 or 2035 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.