European Union leaders broke off talks without agreement early Friday on whether to launch membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia.
The two countries were expecting to receive a green light to begin negotiations on joining the bloc, a process which could take several years.
The European Commission, which supervises entry talks, insists that both have met all the criteria. The EU leaders had promised a decision on their futures by the end of October.
However, French President Emmanuel Macron is refusing to allow any new countries into the 28-nation bloc until its enlargement procedures have been improved, while the Netherlands opposes Albania’s candidacy and disputes the commission’s assessment, AP said.