Will Enlargement Make Europe Stronger?

The EU and its member states are weighing the costs and benefits of offering Ukraine a fast-track accession process, while also considering how to manage relations with other candidate countries. Rosa Balfour, Sylvie Goulard, and Gerald Knaus examine how further enlargement could shape the EU’s cohesion, decisionmaking capacity, and ability to act effectively on the global stage. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:02] Could a Smaller EU Be Stronger than an Enlarged Bloc?, [00:32:37] The Future of EU Enlargement. Rosa Balfour, March 25, 2025, “The Case for Europe,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe. Rosa Balfour, October 3, 2024, “EU Should Enlarge, Even Out of Despair,” Visegrad Insight. Dimitar Bechev, Iliriana Gjoni, October 28, 2025, “How the Western Balkans Can Contribute to European Defense,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe. Stefan Lehne, Zoran Nechev, Richard Grieveson, August 27, 2025, “Access Before Accession: Rethinking the EU’s Gradual Integration,” Carnegie Europe. Rym Momtaz, February 10, 2026, “To Survive, the EU Must Split,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe.