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

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

Balkans Debrief

Feb 4, 2025

How is the media covering Serbia’s protests? A Debrief with Igor Božić and Marko Prelević

Serbia is at a crossroads. What started as grief over the Novi Sad tragedy has become a full-scale protest movement, forcing Prime Minister’s Vučević’s resignation and even earning students a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. But with no clear leader, how is pro-government media responding? Is this the start of real change, or will […]

Europe & Eurasia
Politics & Diplomacy

Balkans Debrief

Nov 19, 2024

Can Serbia’s Lithium Protests Redefine Its Future? | A Debrief with Ivanka Popovic

Resident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks with Ivanka Popovic from ProGlas about Serbia’s lithium mining in the Jadar Valley and its economic, political, and social implications.

Democratic Transitions
Energy & Environment
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MEET THE #BALKANSDEBRIEF HOST

Fellow

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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