The Atlantic Council Europe Center‘s #BalkansDebrief series features timely conversations on key issues impacting the Western Balkans.

Nonresident senior fellow Ilva Tare hosts newsmakers, experts, and officials for discussions on rule of law, energy security, cultural heritage, Russian and Chinese influence in the region, and more.

Watch #BalkansDebrief on YouTube and listen to it as a Podcast.

#BalkansDebrief Episodes

Balkans Debrief

Apr 11, 2025

From Dayton to Dodik, what’s at stake in Bosnia? | A Debrief with Adnan Ćerimagić

Ilva Tare, Europe Center Senior Fellow, sits down with Adi Cerimagic to discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political landscape and challenges.

Europe & Eurasia
European Union

Balkans Debrief

Mar 12, 2025

What is the future of Russian immigration to Serbia? | A Debrief with Srdjan Cvijić and Maxim Samorukov

Russians have migrated to Serbia en masse particularly since the Ukraine war began in 2022. Ilva Tare speaks with Srdjan Cvijic and Maxim Samorukov about BCSP’s latest findings on Russian immigration to Serbia.

Europe & Eurasia
Migration

Balkans Debrief

Mar 7, 2025

Will Merz step up Germany’s role in the Balkans? | A Debrief with Gerald Knaus

Ilva Tare, Europe Center Resident Senior Fellow, speaks with Gerald Knaus about the German elections on February 23 and the next government’s approach to the Western Balkans.

Elections
European Union

Balkans Debrief

Feb 13, 2025

Is Kosovo Headed for Political Gridlock? | A Debrief with Jeff Hovenier

Resident Senior Fellow speaks with Jeff Hovenier, retired former US Ambassador to Kosovo, to debrief Kosovo’s 2025 parliamentary elections.

Elections
Europe & Eurasia

Balkans Debrief

Feb 6, 2025

The EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans – A Debrief with Valbona Zeneli, Isabelle Ioannides, & Richard Grieveson

The European Union’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans aims to accelerate economic growth and convergence in the region—but can it truly deliver? With reform, investment, and EU integration at stake, how can the region turn this initiative into real progress? Ilva Tare, Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, dives into the […]

Economy & Business
European Union
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Ilva Tare

Resident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Albanian English

The Europe Center promotes leadership, strategies, and analysis to ensure a strong, ambitious, and forward-looking transatlantic relationship.

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Balkans Debrief

Mar 3, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – Is a deal on normalization between Kosovo & Serbia possible? | A debrief with Miroslav Lajčák 

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks with Miroslav Lajčák, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, on this episode of #BalkansDebrief about the latest meeting in Brussels, details of the EU brokered plan, implementation of any future agreement, and the path forward.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Feb 22, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What is the future for Kosovo Serbs in the north? | A Debrief with Tatjana Lazarevic 

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Tatjana Lazarevic, the Editor-in-Chief of the KoSSev news portal and a resident of the Kosovo Serb-majority city of Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Feb 8, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – How can Bulgaria and North Macedonia overcome their differences? | A debrief with Petar Todorov

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Petar Todorov, a historian and a member of the Bilateral Multidisciplinary Expert Commission for Historical and Educational questions between Republic of North Macedonia and Republic of Bulgaria.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jan 25, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – How can investment drive regional prosperity? | A debrief with Diana Gligorijevic and Mergim Cahani

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Diana Gligorijevic, the co-founder of Telegroup Solutions, an IT Provider and telecommunication company in Serbia, and Mergim Cahani, the co-founder and the CEO of Gjirafa, about the role of investment in driving positive change in the Balkans.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jan 11, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – Will relations between Kosovo and Serbia normalize?| A debrief with Tim Judah

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Tim Judah, a journalist and author, in this episode of #BalkansDebrief about the role played by the Serbian President and the Prime Minister of Kosovo in reaching a normalization agreement acceptable to both parties.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Dec 21, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Will the regional crises turn into opportunities? | A debrief with Maja Piscevic and Damir Marusic

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Maja Piscevic, Nonresident Senior Fellow, and Damir Marusic, Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center on the high and low points of the year and challenges ahead.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Dec 14, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Why should the EU speed up the integration process in the Western Balkans? | A debrief with Paul Taylor

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Paul Taylor, Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence at Friends of Europe, on the outcomes of the EU-Western Balkans summit.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Nov 2, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – What challenges do the Western Balkans face after the Berlin Process? | A debrief with Milan Nič

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Milan Nic, Senior Fellow at the German Council on the Foreign Relations, on the upcoming Berlin Process summit.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Oct 26, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – What is the problem with democracies representing people’s interests? | A Debrief with Lea Ypi

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Lea Ypi, political theory professor at the London School of Economics, about the her book "Free", democratic backsliding, and post-communist transitions.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Oct 19, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – What will the Berlin process bring to the Western Balkans? | A Debrief with Manuel Sarrazin 

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Manuel Sarrazin, German Federal Representative for the Countries of the Western Balkans, about the upcoming Berlin Process Summit in November as well as German engagement in the region.

The Balkans
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