20 May 2026
Europe’s Overlooked Allies: Why the Western Balkans Matter for EU Defence Readiness
Country Western Balkans
Date 7 March 2025
Author Ana Krstinovska & Alessandro Marrone
Publisher The Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
This analysis reviews the partnership between the Western Balkans countries and EU. Despite not being members yet, they have proven their value as allies and participated in the efforts in EU pursuits of “strategic autonomy and enhanced defence readiness”. This paper explores the possibilities and benefits of further regional partnerships allowed by a stronger integration of the Western Balkan region into the European Union. To that effect, rule of law improvement is “as important as the region’s material contribution”. The policy recommandation and conclusion of this report show the “geopolitical win” EU membership for the Western Balkans countries would be for Europe.
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