In February, North Macedonia abstained from two UN resolutions condemning Russia's aggression in Ukraine, a decision that reflected the country’s alignment with its key ally, the United States, amid complex geopolitical dynamics in Europe, the country's Foreign minister has told Euronews in an interview.
"In this current situation, because there was no alignment within the Common Foreign and Security Policy within the European Union, we chose to vote aligned with our strategic partner, the United States," Mucunski said, adding: "This means that we do support Ukraine, and we do support the necessity of protecting Ukraine's integrity and territorial sovereignty. We also agree that there needs to be a path toward peace."
Mucunski justified North Macedonia's stance by highlighting the crucial role of the White House in the ongoing ceasefire talks while acknowledging Ukraine's sovereignty. "We absolutely support the process that is being led by the Trump administration, Secretary Rubio, as well as the whole team in finding a peaceful solution as soon as possible. I think the United States has extremely capable diplomats," Mucunski stated. "At the end of the day, Ukraine is a sovereign nation that must make decisions for itself," he concluded.
Despite his commitment to maintaining strong ties with the US, Mucunski said that North Macedonia remains aligned with European objectives. He said that there are three main constants and variables to North Macedonia's foreign policy that it seeks to uphold. "One of them is 100% alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy. The second is our membership in NATO. And the third is our strategic partnership. We have a formal strategic partnership with the US," he said.
North Macedonia's EU membership: 20 years on
20 years ago North Macedonia applied for EU membership and achieved candidate status, but the country’s accession has stalled due to ongoing disputes with Bulgaria over a constitutional change.
"If we have confidence that there are institutional guarantees in place, and that Bulgaria, as our neighbour, is playing by the same rules we are when it comes to the protection of minority rights—specifically regarding the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria—then it's not about constitutional changes, but about finding a path forward," Mucunski said.
However, Mucunski demanded clear answers: "Will this be the final compromise? Will we know that if these constitutional amendments are made, there will be no veto six months or a year down the road due to a bilateral issue?"
Skopje also faces renewed tensions with Greece concerning its name, with some ministers refusing to include the prefix 'North' for the country, despite the conclusion of the Prespa agreement that ended a three decades-long dispute over the naming.
"I will never be able to say to you that I am happy with the Prespa Agreement, that I believe the Prespa Agreement is good, or that I believe the changing of the name of a nation is fair, especially in the 21st century," the foreign minister said, adding: "But at the end of the day, as foreign minister and as a lawyer, I understand that the principle of pacta sunt servanda and that agreements must be kept, especially in international public law. Is a fundamental principle."
Countering Russia's growing influence in the Balkans
Mucunski stressed the importance of EU enlargement, particularly to counter Russia's growing influence in the Balkans. "I think enlargement is necessary for many reasons, but from a security perspective, one of the key reasons is to reduce Russia's malign influence in our region," he said. "Russian influence, especially in our region, comes cheaply, and they know how to utilise it."
Beyond the bilateral problems with Greece and Bulgaria, the European Commission also points out limited progress on strengthening judicial independence and serious concerns on corruption, as obstacles to the start of accession negotiations.
