German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, on Thursday pledged "an accelerated EU integration process" for Western Balkan countries, while the European Commission pledged €1 billion in funding so that these countries can deal with the ongoing energy crisis.

“The six Western Balkan countries belong in the EU, they are part of Europe and the European family, so I’m advocating EU enlargement also to Western Balkan countries,” Scholz said in Berlin after a summit of these countries’ prime ministers as part of the Berlin Process.

Officials of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia signed an agreement on the mutual recognition of identity cards and university degrees, which “could contribute to strengthening political and economic ties in the region,” Croatian state agency Hina said.

“The Berlin Process cares about progress,” Scholz said, adding that the Serbia-Kosovo conflict needs to be solved, which would lead to signing an agreement “in light of the new geopolitical situation in Europe,” Hina reported.

“The brutal Russian aggression on Ukraine forces us to close ranks and defend Europe’s freedom,” he added. Scholz did not say when the Western Balkan countries might join the EU, but did say that it should happen “as soon as possible.”

“In light of the energy crisis, the EU will assist the Western Balkans with €1 billion,” President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said after the summit.

“Some €500 million will be used for urgent assistance, to help these countries cope with rising energy prices, and the remaining €500 million for investments in renewables,” she said at a joint press conference with Scholz and Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, whose country is expected to host next year’s Berlin Process summit.

President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said the summit was a good opportunity to meet with the region’s leaders ahead of next month’s EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana.

“(Now) more than ever, the Western Balkans need the EU, and the EU needs the Western Balkans. It’s a geopolitical necessity and a geopolitical opportunity. Time to accelerate the pace of reforms and already make integration visible and concrete for the citizens of the region,” he tweeted.

The Berlin summit was also attended by the prime ministers of Croatia, Greece, Slovenia, and Bulgaria, four EU countries neighboring the Western Balkans.