BRUSSELS

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday said Albania is "on the right track" toward European Union membership, as she kicked off her Western Balkans tour with a visit to Tirana.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, von der Leyen praised Albania's "stunning and outstanding record speed acceleration" in its accession process over the past few years.

"Five of six negotiating clusters are already open. We plan to open the last one this autumn," she said, adding that the EU will support Albania’s goal of closing accession negotiations by 2027.

Von der Leyen said "the geopolitical momentum is now," stressing that the ongoing war in Ukraine has reshaped the continent and that "every European nation must choose its place."

"Albania has made its choice, very clearly. You are fully aligned with the European Union's foreign and security policy. Together we are acting as one," she said.

Von der Leyen also highlighted the bloc's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which aims to grant the region greater access to the EU's single market in exchange for key reforms. She announced the disbursement of nearly €100 million ($115 million) to Albania under the plan, noting that the total support could reach nearly €1 billion.

She also pointed to strong public support for EU membership in Albania, saying: "A recent poll shows that if a referendum were held today, 92% of Albanians would vote for EU membership."

Albania applied for EU membership in 2009, while accession negotiations began in 2022.