The EU is struggling to maintain credibility in the Balkans after it broke promises to start membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia last October, leading to another postponement despite major reforms on the part of those nations.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that the two sides worked through Sunday and Monday toward the next European Council summit to open the door to the European prospect of the Balkan countries.

Next month the European Commission is due to publish an individual report for each of the six Western Balkan candidates:  Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, and Serbia.