Podgorica, (MINA) - Russian aggression against Ukraine has helped Europe understand that EU enlargement is linked to the security of the European continent and that the candidate countries view it as a strategic framework for stability and development, said Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic.

According to the press release from Milatovic’s office, in an interview with the Washington Post he said that the war in Ukraine has changed haw Europe view EU enlargement, not only as a technical process, but also as an issue of development and security of the continent.

The press release stated that the Washington Post noted that the White House has intensified its negative rhetoric towards the EU in recent weeks, including claims made in a new document on national security, as well as a series of statements by US officials and allies of the administration, while at the same time fears are growing in Europe that US policy pay shift towards an openly hostility towards the European project.

Milatovic pointed out that for Montenegro EU membership represents a measure of democratic maturity, prosperity and stability, but also a practical mechanism that provides the country with external support and a roadmap of rapid economic development.

According to him, the European path should help Montenegro build a more competitive economy, stronger democratic standards and institutions capable of supporting long-term political and economic growth. 

The Washington Post also noted that, despite American pressure on the European project and the statements by certain US administration figures, political momentum for EU membership is growing on the periphery of Europe, especially as a result of the war in Ukraine.

The article says that scenarios for speeding up Ukraine’s accession process after a possible peace agreement are being considered in Brussels, with the awareness that the accession criteria are complex and that full membership will not come quickly.

Milatovic said that the EU is not a matter of petty politics for candidate countries, but a framework that integrates security, institution-building and economic development.