Speaking at the Western Balkans Forward summit organised by the Atlantic Council in Washington, Spiropali said EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans should be treated as a geostrategic instrument rather than a bureaucratic reward mechanism.

“The Western Balkans is no longer a post-conflict region but a frontline of European security and competition,” Spiropali said during a panel discussion alongside former U.S. diplomat Philip Reeker and journalist Ilva Tare. “Regional instability, Russian influence and hybrid pressures make enlargement more urgent.

She said that delays in the enlargement process create security risks by opening strategic vacuums that can attract malign external actors.

“Enlargement must remain merit-based, but it is also time-bound,” Spiropali said. “Any delay constitutes a security risk. The question is no longer whether enlargement should proceed cautiously, but whether delays have already become a security threat.”

Spiropali said EU enlargement was also in the strategic interest of the United States, describing it as a form of preventive strategy rather than an act of charity.

“Despite current debates between the U.S. and the EU, the Western Balkans can serve as a test of Euro-Atlantic coherence,” she said.

During her visit, Spiropali also highlighted U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to Prime Minister Edi Rama to join the Board of Peace initiative, describing it as a strong signal of political trust and recognition of Albania’s constructive international role.

She later spoke at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, where she discussed Albania’s EU path and its evolving international role with academics, students and members of the Albanian diaspora.

Spiropali said Albania had transformed from one of Europe’s most isolated countries into an EU candidate state through the implementation of far-reaching reforms.

“In just 13 months, we opened all negotiating clusters,” she said, adding that Albania aims to close them by 2027 and secure EU membership by 2030.

The Foreign Minister cited progress in areas including the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime, and the strengthening of democratic institutions, while noting that U.S. support had been vital, particularly in advancing judicial reform.

According to Spiropali, Albania’s alignment with Western values is a strategic choice rooted in its identity and security realities.

“Administrations change and policies evolve, but Albania’s strategic compass will not and cannot shift away from the Euro-Atlantic community,” she said.

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In an interview with the Albanian public broadcaster expressed full support for Albania’s European aspirations the enlargement policy is one of the priorities of Poland’s Presidency of the European Council, with the country actively supporting Western Balkan partners in the European integration process.

“I am visiting Albania, since we praise Albania’s moral clarity regarding Russian aggression on Ukraine. We welcome alignment of the country’s foreign policy with the European Union’s foreign policy and security, as well as Albania’s tremendous efforts on the path towards EU accession. As the next EU presidency holder, I wished to see Albania’s progress firsthand. I also wanted to tell you that we look forward to opening another cluster of EU accession negotiations during our presidency,” Sikorski said.

Poland’s top diplomat Radoslaw Sikorski also highlighted the potential in bilateral defense cooperation and voiced his country’s unwavering support for Albania’s European aspirations.

“Albania is a good NATO ally and a leader in the EU integration process,” Sikorski added.

Sikorski, a former journalist who has previously served as Poland’s Defense Minister, is one of the strongest voices against Russian aggression on Ukraine.

“Ukraine and Russia are to neighbors of Poland, the only country with such specifics. We have restarted our defense industry production and all the European nations should follow the suit. I understood that Albania is planning to do the same,” Sikorski said.

He also noted that Poles account for the largest number of foreign visitors to Albania, saying they love the country.

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