European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Skopje for a visit, where she held talks with North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. In a joint statement, von der Leyen thanked her hosts for the warm welcome and said she was glad to be back in the country's capital. She emphasized that North Macedonia has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to reforms and to its European path. The meeting marked another stage in the dialogue between Brussels and Skopje on European integration. During the visit, the two sides discussed the current state of negotiations on the country's accession to the European Union, as well as the steps taken by North Macedonia's authorities to meet EU requirements. Particular attention was paid to the domestic reforms carried out so far, including in the areas of the rule of law and public administration. The visit confirms the EU's continued support for North Macedonia's aspiration to join the bloc, despite the difficulties the country has faced on this path for several years now. Negotiations on the country's EU accession have been underway with mixed success since 2020, and Brussels has repeatedly pointed to the need for constitutional changes and further reforms as a condition for advancing the process. The statement was made as part of von der Leyen's official visit to the Western Balkans region, which the EU has traditionally regarded as a priority area of its enlargement policy.