He engaged in a conversation with Clingendael researcher Wouter Zweers and an audience that included students, journalists, policymakers, and researchers. They discussed topics such as Albania’s EU candidate status, the country’s role in NATO, organised crime, and migration.

We concluded that inertia in Kosovo’s domestic politics, the Belgrade-Prishtina dialogue, and the EU’s policy spell out long-term risks for Kosovo's and thereby, European stability. See the paper for our recommendations!

I teamed up with Dimitar Bechev and Iliriana Gjoni (Carnegie Europe), Milan Nic and Nikola Xaviereff-Weckwerth (DGAP) and Lukáš Macek (Jacques Delors Institute) for this study, based on a research trip to Kosovo in March organised by Democracy for Development.

Beyond the policy work, Kyiv itself left a deep impression. A city proud, resilient, and full of life — even amid daily air raid alerts and ongoing war. It was both humbling and inspiring.

One thing is clear: Ukraine will not wait passively. The drive to move forward — and the ownership of the process — was tangible at every level.

We did so amongst others through a negotiation simulation, diving into real-life political challenges that can arise beyond formal EU criteria. What happens when key reforms become politically contentious?

Over two packed days, we provided about 30 participants from across Ukrainian ministries and regulatory bodies with practical tools and insights to navigate and steer the complex EU accession process — not just technically, but also politically. Because accession is never only about ticking boxes.

The training was part of Ukraine’s EU accession journey, with this edition focused on Negotiation Cluster 2: the EU Internal Market. It is a core part of the EU acquis and one of the most complex and transformative areas for Ukraine’s economy.