On Tuesday, December 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center hosted a conversation on the future of US leadership in the Western Balkans with US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH-10).

As the Dayton Peace Agreement marks its thirtieth anniversary in 2025,  the future of role of the United States in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider Western Balkans stands at a critical juncture. While the legacy of Dayton remains complicated, Washington’s role in stabilizing peace in the region and its future engagement—driven by bipartisan Congressional support in recent years—is acquiring new relevance and urgency. This is happening as the region’s security landscape, economic integration, and Euro-Atlantic trajectory faces challenging headwinds.

In this conversation with Senator Shaheen and Congressman Turner, the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, as part of its Balkans Forward Initiative, marked the anniversary of Dayton and advanced a forward-looking dialogue on the future of Euro-Atlantic engagement with the Western Balkans.

The Hon. Jeanne Shaheen
United States Senator (D-NH)
Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

The Hon. Michael Turner
United States Representative (R-OH-10)
Member, House Armed Services Committee

Ilva Tare
Resident Senior Fellow, Europe Center
Atlantic Council

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

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