Good morning from Brussels. EU leaders will gather today in Brussels to discuss the EU future of the Western Balkans and tomorrow at a summit, also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where they will focus on foreign policy and migration, issues that will keep Europeans busy over the next five years. Regarding the Western Balkans, a region often seen as exposed to Russian and Chinese interests, Alexandra Brzozowski reports that we shouldn’t expect concrete results. However, the meeting itself is seen as a sign that the new EU leadership will make it a priority. On migration, Ursula von der Leyen already set the tone in a letter sent to member states yesterday, which provides clear timelines for the much-discussed Returns Directive and the next steps on “return hubs.” After the Christmas break, Europeans will face a new reality as Donald Trump officially takes over the US presidency on 20 January. His incoming Ukraine envoy is scheduled to travel to Kyiv and several other European capitals in early January. As Europe aims to create a united front, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who wants to be seen as a close ally of the new US administration, said in Rome yesterday that Trump is not an enemy and that Europeans should seek a “pragmatic and constructive” approach. Moreover, she said the EU should seek an autonomous role within NATO that would match the American one “in weight and dignity.” | 
