EU discusses membership hopes for Western Balkans

Several Balkan countries will be seeking reassurances from the European Union today, as they meet in Slovenia to talk about their eventual acceptance into the bloc. Member states took the opportunity to discuss issues of foreign policy, following the fallout from the Afghanistan withdrawal. But much of their deliberations will be focused on calming the nerves of western Balkan nations, who have been waiting for years to be accepted into the EU. Talks of expanding the union have recently stalled. One of those countries hoping to join is Albania. Some EU members are cautious about Albania’s membership, due to the country’s problems with drug trafficking and money laundering.