Expansion becomes a security priority for Europe, announces Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos

Brussels, November 13, 2025 — The expansion of the European Union towards Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans is no longer a technical exercise, but an essential security instrument for the stability of the continent, said the Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, in a speech delivered in Vienna. The European official warned that Europe "risks becoming an island surrounded by autocracies," and the geopolitical gaps left in recent decades have allowed the destabilization of the region.

Kos stated that some of the recent crises, the war in Ukraine, hybrid interventions against European democracies, and attacks on civil societies, are a consequence of the fact that the process of unifying the continent "has not been completed." She emphasized that regions outside the EU have become vulnerable to external influence and interference, and this has "allowed Russia to exploit gray security areas."

The Commissioner presented three directions for action to accelerate European integration: supporting reforms in candidate countries so that they are "100% ready" for accession, preparing the Union itself for expansion through an impact assessment exercise, and the proactive integration of future members into European policies. In this context, Kos confirmed that Ukraine and Moldova are set to be fully integrated into the EU energy market by 2027, to reduce the risks of external pressure.

According to the Commissioner, the European Commission recently presented new tools for protecting democracy, including the Democracy Shield and a Media Resilience Program, along with a strategy dedicated to civil society. She pointed out that these tools are also designed for candidate countries facing increasingly complex hybrid pressures. The examples cited include Moldova, where, in recent years, influence campaigns aimed at undermining the European direction have failed.

At the end of her speech, Kos conveyed that enlargement should be viewed as a project for the strategic strengthening of Europe: a process that strengthens the rule of law, reduces economic and energy vulnerabilities, and creates a "more stable, more independent, and freer" European space. The Commissioner emphasized that the founding messages of European integration remain valid and that "Europe must continue on the path to unity" to protect peace and democracy across the entire continent.