17/09/2026
Yesterday’s event at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, co-organised with the support of EIPA, offered an opportunity to discuss the current state and future perspectives of EU enlargement, together with Steven Blockmans, Deputy Director at the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) and Director of Research at CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies).
The exchange explored Ukraine’s specific situation in the context of the ongoing war and the different stages and dynamics of the EU accession process across the Western Balkans.
The discussion addressed gradual integration, its practical implications and some of the challenges surrounding its implementation, the importance of upholding the EU’s fundamental values and the rule of law, and of maintaining the credibility and attractiveness of the enlargement process. The conversation also touched upon possible new models of association with the EU.
Many thanks to Steven Blockmans for a stimulating exchange, to Philippe Mores, Deputy Director for European Affairs at Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, for moderating the discussion, and to everyone who joined the event in Luxembourg and online.
Gouvernement luxembourgeois
