Swaying the Pendulum: Russia's Quest for Influence in the Western Balkans

Although, as a region, the Western Balkans are often misunderstood, they have on several occasions taken the world’s attention and in fact been central to key international developments. While often ignored when it comes to global media attention, as of recent the region has become increasingly relevant in light of geopolitical developments resulting from increasing rivalry between Russia and the European Union. Struggling to proceed with democratization, Western Balkans remain an extremely fragile and volatile region, making it susceptible to external influence. The research focuses on how the foreign influence of Russia in the Western Balkans as a ‘disruptive actor’ have played into domestic factors, such as ethnicity and nationalism, and how it has managed to affect the region’s process of democratization. Within the Western Balkans nationalism has served both as a force of unification and of conflict, and as such plays an important role in the regions’ geopolitical developments....Show moreAlthough, as a region, the Western Balkans are often misunderstood, they have on several occasions taken the world’s attention and in fact been central to key international developments. While often ignored when it comes to global media attention, as of recent the region has become increasingly relevant in light of geopolitical developments resulting from increasing rivalry between Russia and the European Union. Struggling to proceed with democratization, Western Balkans remain an extremely fragile and volatile region, making it susceptible to external influence. The research focuses on how the foreign influence of Russia in the Western Balkans as a ‘disruptive actor’ have played into domestic factors, such as ethnicity and nationalism, and how it has managed to affect the region’s process of democratization. Within the Western Balkans nationalism has served both as a force of unification and of conflict, and as such plays an important role in the regions’ geopolitical developments. Research surrounds the three cases of Montenegro, Macedonia (FYR), and Republika Srpska, one of two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina: states each representing an ethnic division. While it cannot be argued that Russia is seeking to influence Western Balkan states at the cost of regional stability, it will argue that the increasing security threat posed to its own national interests by NATO and the EU have been the primary motivation for bolstering its efforts in the region. Fueled by the pronounced ‘fatigue’ of EU-enlargement, a window of opportunity has been opened in which it has increasingly exploited its favorable position with the Slavic and Eastern Orthodox communities of the Western Balkans.Show less

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Swaying the Pendulum: Russia's Quest for Influence in the Western Balkans