The dramatic change in the European security architecture after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has brought back to the fore the strengthening of the security mechanisms in the Western Balkans, which is widely seen as one of the most vulnerable regions when it comes to the Russian subversive interventions.

The United States and the European Union have increased their presence in an attempt to resolve the conflicts inherited from the past, while urging for more intra-regional cooperation, including security cooperation.

The main purpose of this policy document is to investigate: (i) the current state of security cooperation in the Western Balkans and; (ii) the support of the general public in the Western Balkans for security cooperation.

This policy paper will provide a series of policy recommendations that could help policymakers build on positive perceptions of the public across the Western Balkans to intensify regional security cooperation.