The EU formally approved a working group to draft Montenegro's accession treaty on April 23, 2026—the first major step in the accession process since Croatia joined in 2013. This moves Montenegro, a candidate since 2010, into the final drafting phase toward becoming the EU's 28th member state, with officials suggesting membership could occur by 2028. The post accurately reflects EU institutional action confirmed by multiple news outlets, uses measured language, and appropriately characterizes this as historic given the 13-year gap since Croatia's treaty process.