The Balkans

Tue, Sep 17, 2019

Great Power Competition in Southeast Europe

In the past decade, the United States and the European Union (EU) became more ambivalent about our commitments in the Western Balkans. Moscow and Beijing, sensing an opening, have become more determined in their efforts to gain influence and leverage in the region.

New Atlanticist by Damon Wilson

Mon, Jul 22, 2019

Macron’s Belgrade pivot

Macron's trip may yet be remembered as a turning point for French involvement in the Balkans. The payoff could be big for France, but it must first decide if it is willing to prove that the Balkans truly belong in Europe.

New Atlanticist by Petrit Selimi

Sat, Jun 1, 2019

Balkans forward congressional fellowship staff delegation to the Balkans

Balkans Forward by Atlantic Council

Tue, May 21, 2019

How to push back against Kremlin’s malign influence

The United States needs to do more to push back against Russia’s attempts to disrupt democratic societies around the world, Michael Carpenter, a senior fellow in the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, told US lawmakers on May 21.

New Atlanticist by David A. Wemer

Wed, Apr 3, 2019

North Macedonia and Greece look forward to common NATO future

The two Western Balkans neighbors’ reconciliation can be a “blueprint for the Balkans — the powder keg of Europe in the past — to help resolve the other very difficult disputes that still exist," Giorgos Katrougalos says.

NATOat70 by David A. Wemer

Fri, Mar 29, 2019

North Macedonia negates NATO skeptics

The price of compromising was high — many citizens remain opposed to it — but the cost of not doing so, the government concluded, would have been infinitely higher. Radmila Šekerinska, the defense minister of North Macedonia, is unapologetic about that decision.

New Atlanticist by Teri Schultz

Mon, Mar 18, 2019

Why Ukraine should abandon efforts to criminalize illicit enrichment

In late February, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine declared the criminal code’s article criminalizing illicit enrichment unconstitutional. The response among activists, independent media, and Western embassies was unanimous: the decision was a massive step back for Ukraine. It undid the small but real progress that the country had made toward prosecuting corrupt officials. However, this […]

UkraineAlert by Leonid Antonenko

Thu, Mar 7, 2019

The Western Balkans: A growing disinformation battleground

The region has been increasingly targeted by foreign-backed and homegrown disinformation in recent years, made worse by deep public mistrust of governmental institutions.

New Atlanticist by David A. Wemer