State Department report: Western Balkans key to US security and economic interests

A new document from the US Department of State (DASH) presents the Western Balkans as a region of direct importance to US security and economic interests.

The document states that the stability of the region and the advancement of American economic interests there make the United States "more secure, stronger, and more prosperous."

The document was recently published on the official website of the US Department of State, under the title “United States Policy for Promoting Stability and Prosperity in the Western Balkans”. It is related to a request from the US Congress from January of this year, according to which the Secretary of State was to submit to the relevant congressional committees a report on the US policy for promoting stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans.

The report says that the stability that American efforts have helped create in the Western Balkans has paved the way for "a different kind of US engagement" in the region.

According to the document, "the era of American-led state-building is over," while American policy in the Western Balkans "is not about rescue or reconstruction, but about stability and mutually beneficial partnerships."

The report says that "unresolved disputes and remaining divisions undermine regional stability."

The administration, it further states, is focused on "empowering local actors to solve their challenges," rather than "overly reliant on international intervention or oversight."

Key priorities include maintaining regional stability, countering the malign influence of Russia and China, expanding economic and trade cooperation, investing in energy and infrastructure, fighting organized crime, and strengthening security cooperation.

What does the report say about Kosovo?

For Kosovo, the document emphasizes that the United States continues to encourage it and Serbia to make progress towards normalizing relations, with the aim of reaching a sustainable, negotiated, and mutually acceptable agreement.

Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement on a path towards normalizing relations in 2023 in a dialogue mediated by the European Union, which is supported by the US.

But, no country has taken steps to implement it so far.

Meanwhile, regarding security, Washington says that "American troops continue to participate in KFOR, which it considers a key component for guaranteeing a secure environment and freedom of movement in Kosovo."

The document also emphasizes support for the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into a professional territorial defense force, and mentions the modernization of coal-fired power plants and coal gasification projects in Kosovo as part of energy priorities in the region.

What else does the report say?

Regarding combating threats to the US and the Western Balkans, the document singles out Russia and China as actors that "actively seek to exploit instability, corruption, and weak governance" in the region.

According to the document, Moscow "foments ethnic discontent, finances destabilizing actors, and uses hydrocarbon supplies to exert pressure on politicians," while China uses trade, state loans, bribery, propaganda, and ties to elites to expand its influence.

The report also says that organized crime groups from the Western Balkans pose a "direct threat to the national security of the United States and the American homeland," citing their links to drug cartels, narcotics trafficking, illegal migration, money laundering, and cybercrime.

"This administration will dismantle and dismantle these networks wherever they operate, as evidenced in 2025 by the designation of several Western Balkan nationals associated with cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations operating in the Western Hemisphere," the report states.

Regarding economic and trade cooperation, the report presents the Western Balkans as a region of opportunity for American commercial interests, citing its population of 18 million, important transport corridors, natural resources, growing technology sector, and skilled workforce.

The report assesses that the Western Balkans faces major infrastructure deficiencies. According to the document, transport networks are not up to European standards, which increases costs for businesses and hinders market integration.

It also cites weaknesses in digital infrastructure, including uneven access to fast internet and limited cybersecurity capacities. In the energy sector, the report says the infrastructure is outdated, inefficient and, in some cases, dependent on Russian imports.

"The department will actively engage to transform regional interest into commercial agreements," the report says.

“Priority projects include the Southern Interconnection gas pipeline between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina; a proposed gas interconnector between Serbia and North Macedonia; hydropower development in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia; modernization of coal-fired power plants and coal gasification projects in Kosovo; and additional transmission cables connecting the Western Balkans networks to European markets.”

The document says that the US will work with governments in the region to improve the business environment, reduce regulatory barriers, strengthen contract enforcement, and ensure transparent procurement processes, "that favor American companies"/REL.