The European Union’s top diplomat said on Monday that Union foreign ministers will have a “comprehensive debate” about the Western Balkans at their next meeting.

Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, High Representative Josep Borrell said that the region remains a priority for the EU. He presented his report on developments in the Western Balkans and the recent visits to Belgrade, Pristina and Podgorica by his special representative Miroslav Lajcak.

The Foreign Ministers of Croatia and Romania, Gordan Grlic Radman and Bogdan Auresku presented a request on behalf of nine EU member states for a comprehensive strategic debate on the Western Balkans at the next ministerial meeting in order to strengthen the Union’s engagement with the countries of the region and confirm its commitment to expansion. The idea for a debate on the region was initially launched in a letter from nine foreign ministers to Borrell on March 5 because of dynamic internal political developments in the countries of the region.