(Bloomberg) -- European Union leaders need to agree on a set of reforms before moving ahead with enlargement that could pull several western Balkan countries as well as Ukraine into the bloc, according to Germany’s chancellor. 

“Strengthening Europe as a geopolitical actor also means making better use of one of the strongest instruments of our foreign policy - our enlargement policy,” Olaf Scholz said during a meeting of the Party of European Socialists in Bucharest on Saturday. 

“A EU with 32 or 35 members cannot work with the rules crafted for a smaller union,” Scholz said. “We agreed on the need for such reforms and that we aim to adopt a roadmap for this important process by the summer.”

The EU Commission is working on a plan for political reforms after facing criticism that its existing rules, which dictate unanimity on certain decisions, delay action such as on key support for Ukraine. 

Opposition from populist leaders including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to boosting financial aid to the war-torn nation have triggered frustration over the past two years. 

The EU’s Council agreed in late 2023 to start accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, and has recently granted candidate status to Georgia. Bosnia-Herzegovina has also opened membership talks after years of delays.  

Scholz also said that one of the key tasks for the next European Commission after elections in June will to build a stronger European defense industry as a means to deter Russia and secure peace on the continent. 

Read more: What Ukraine’s EU Candidacy Means, and What’s Ahead: QuickTake

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