Study shifts EU attention toward unlocking the Western Balkans’ defence potential

The news platform EUalive recently featured the latest thematic report of the think nea – New Narratives of EU Integration initiative, titled “Europe’s Overlooked Allies: Why the Western Balkans Matter for EU Defence Readiness”. The report is co-authored by Dr. Ana Krstinovska and Dr. Alessandro Marrone, and published with the support of the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans.

The article, titled “Study shifts EU attention toward unlocking the Western Balkans’ defence potential”, highlights the report’s core argument that countries of the Western Balkans—though not yet EU member states—are emerging as important contributors to the EU’s defence ecosystem. Their growing role in areas such as artillery production, joint missions, logistics, and support for Ukraine demonstrates a shift from being security consumers to proactive security partners. Yet, the EU’s defence and enlargement policies continue to operate in silos, limiting the strategic potential of closer integration.

The timely thematic report calls for a more coherent and synergistic approach that connects enlargement and defence policy. It proposes concrete steps such as including the Western Balkans in EU defence initiatives, facilitating joint procurement opportunities, investing in dual-use infrastructure, and fostering cooperation between regional SMEs and EU defence industries. As the EU seeks to strengthen its strategic autonomy and resilience, the report argues that the Western Balkans must be viewed not as peripheral actors but as essential allies in achieving common security objectives.

You can read the article here.