Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz warned on Monday that the Western Balkans could fall under the influence of others if it does not become part of the European Union.

“The truth is that a prospect of EU membership exists along with a possible stronger influence of Russia, Turkey or other parts of the world. Loosing the region which is so close to us would be bad for the Western Balkans and for us in the EU,” the chancellor said.

Austria holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council.

Kurz said that Austria is the EU member state which offers the greatest support to the region and denied that he spoke of the Western Balkans as a crisis region.

The Austrian chancellor expressed the belief in an evident rapprochement between Belgrade and Pristina which he said is a situation that should be used to find a solution.