Russia – EU expert consultations held on Western Balkans and EU Enlargement

Submitted on Thu, 11/22/2018 - 14:43

On November 21 regular Russia – EU expert consultations on Western Balkans (COWEB) and EU Enlargement (COELA) were held in Brussels within the established framework of Russia – EU Political Dialogue.

Ambassador Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, Director of the 4th European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the Russian delegation. The EU was represented by Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst, Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey of the European External Action Service, and Ambassador Klaus Wölfer, Director for EU Enlargement and South-Eastern Europe of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European, Integration and Foreign Affairs.

A detailed and constructive discussion was held on a broad range of topical issues on the current Balkan agenda, including cooperation of Russia and the EU with countries of the region.

An agreement was confirmed to hold the next round of consultations in the first half of 2019.