On 3 December, we convened a roundtable discussion in Brussels on Reshuffling the cards after the 2024 US elections: Implications for the Western Balkans. The event brought together independent experts and EU policymakers for a collective assessment of the impact of the US elections on the Western Balkans.
The roundtable was moderated by Bojana Zorić, with interventions from:
- Kurt Bassuener, Senior Associate, Democratisation Policy Council, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Ivana Jordanovska, PhD candidate, University of Southern California, the United States (hybrid)
- Senada Šelo Šabić, Scientific Advisor, Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO), Croatia
- Nikolaos Tzifakis, Jean Monnet Chair in EU Foreign Policy and the Western Balkans, University of the Peloponnese, Greece
The dialogue explored the region's prospects for sustained or altered support for Euro-Atlantic integration, with particular focus on the implications of the new US administration's policies. Panelists examined how Washington might navigate ethnic divisions and bolster multiethnic governance, alongside its broader approach to fostering regional cooperation. Discussions also turned to the EU's foreign policy strategies, emphasising the need for adaptation in its engagement with the Western Balkans. The panel debated potential contingency plans and partnerships the EU could pursue to uphold regional stability and Euro-Atlantic standards, especially in the face of fluctuating US support. The influence of the US administration on countering external actors was a recurring theme, with participants underscoring the necessity for transatlantic coordination to sustain regional security and resist destabilising influences.
