A quiet US withdrawal from the Western Balkans?

from The Greek Current · host Hellenic Leaders

With the US focused on Ukraine, the Middle East, and President Trump’s trade deals, it seems the Western Balkans are flying under the radar in Washington. In fact, there are growing concerns in the region about a quiet US withdrawal and what this could mean as countries like Russia, China and Turkey vie for influence. Professor James Ker-Lindsay, who has worked extensively on the EU, the Balkans and Southeast Europe, joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at these developments.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Risky jockeying for position in the BalkansSerb separatist Dodik defies Bosnian state in government reshuffleGreece toughens penalties for rejected asylum seekers, speeds up returnsPM to unveil tax breaks as popularity dips

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 5, 2025

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What this episode covers

Professor James Ker-Lindsay, who has worked extensively on the EU, the Balkans and Southeast Europe, joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at the growing concerns about a quiet US withdrawal from the Balkans, and break down what this could mean as countries like Russia, China and Turkey vie for influence in the region.