Shining a Light on the Western Balkans: Internal Vulnerabilities and Malign Influence from Russia, Terrorism, and Transnational Organized Crime

Abstract

Since the civil wars of the 1990s, the Western Balkans region has been plagued by conflict and instability. The United States and Western Europe disengaged from this region in the last decade, and the Western Balkan countries have become particularly unstable due to internal vulnerabilities and external influence from state and non-state actors. CNA initiated a study to assess these internal vulnerabilities and external influence and threats from Russia, international terrorism, and transnational organized crime. Using research and semi-structured discussions with subject matter experts in the United States, Serbia, and Macedonia, including recent U.S. senior military and civilian leaders, this paper presents findings and implications for U.S. and European civilian and military leaders to consider in order to proactively engage in this region, and promote a regional strategy that supports a Europe that is whole and free, and one that is based on Western institutions and democratic principles.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1035185

Entities

People

  • Bill Rosenau
  • Danielle Johnson
  • Vera Zakem

Organizations

  • Center for Naval Analyses

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil War
  • Criminals
  • Eastern Europe
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Europe
  • Foreign Relations
  • Geography
  • Globalization
  • International Relations
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Police
  • Societies
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • Western Europe

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.