Experts have long known that the Balkans are a political battleground between Russia and the West. And this chronic non-military conflict has only intensified with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and intervention in Syria. Clearly, Moscow regards both democracy and European integration—the two key issues in the Balkans—as dangerous to Russian interests. The recent announcement of impending elections in Serbia and Macedonia will almost certainly lead to an intensification of Russian as well as Western efforts to influence the outcome. Serbia is arguably the easiest place for Russia to block Westernization of the Balkans, and Macedonia is now a prime regional …read more
Source: The Jamestown Foundation