Episode Details

Last week European leaders focused on EU enlargement, from the Western Balkans to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. While the EU wants closer ties with these countries, it has also made it clear that it expects reforms, particularly when it comes to issues related to the rule of law and justice. Dimitar Bechev, a research fellow at Carnegie Europe, where he focuses on Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe and a lecturer at Oxford’s School of Global and Area Studies, joins Thanos Davelis to look at these latest developments, and break down why he believes there are no quick fixes for EU enlargement.

Read Dimitar Bechev’s latest here: There Are No Quick Fixes for EU Enlargement

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

EU wants closer ties to Western Balkans but expects reform

Greece passes 2024 budget forecasting higher growth

Greek parliament passes government's 2024 budget

US top diplomat Blinken ups pressure on Turkey to secure Sweden’s NATO bid

Turkey calls on U.S. to use influence to halt Israeli attacks on Gaza -Turkish source