Podgorica, 14 June 2022 (MIA) – European Council President Charles Michel, who met with President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović in Podgorica on Tuesday, said this was an important momentum for the future of the European continent, and the Western Balkans are a strategic priority for the EU more than ever. “Right from the start, the European Union has acted with unity. To support Ukraine. And to sanction Russia. With the sixth package of sanctions that we have agreed on a few days ago, we are continuing to pile pressure on the Russian economy,” Michel told a joint press conference with Đukanović, noting that the Western Balkans are a strategic priority for the EU more than ever. “Montenegro has been a consistent partner for the EU over many years. In fact, for more than a decade, Montenegro has a 100% record of aligning with our common foreign and security policy,” said Michel. Đukanović said Michel’s visit to Montenegro shows the European Union’s commitment to the Europeanization of the Western Balkans. He said Michel and him discussed the state of play in the region. “I reiterated that Western Balkans EU membership is a geopolitical investment into the global peace and stability. Unfortunately, we agreed that there was a certain slowdown in the integration processes in Montenegro,” said Đukanović, Podgorica media outlets report. He also noted that in that period there have been countries acting outside the integration position, and the Russian aggression against Ukraine has come as a warning, pointing to the need for European integration.