The European Union has opened talks with Albania and North Macedonia about them becoming members states.

The breakthrough comes after the EU's commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, announced via Twitter, that the current 27 member states had reached an agreement to open accession talks.

In a strong message, Varhelyi said: "This also sends a loud and clear message to the Western Balkans: your future is in the EU."

Croatia, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Council, had pushed the accession talks with the two nations to the top of the agenda.

Croatia is the latest member state to join the EU, having become a part of the bloc in 2011 and said the breakthrough in talks was a "recognition of the significant reform efforts taken by the two countries."

Talks may be put on hold, however, until the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic across Europe has subsided.

Both countries took to social media to express their gratitude at the decision.

Albania's foreign minister, Gent Cakaj, said: "Our commitment to the EU path is just unwavering." 

While his North Macedonian counterpart, Nikola Dimitrov, said the country was "ready to start the next stage of the EU journey."

Not all member states had previously agreed to the EU membership talks. In October 2019, France, Denmark and the Netherlands all vetoed them.