Balkan, Europe’s newest crisis with plans to change borders?

The American prestigious newspaper says that the Turkish-Russian friendship may lead to a border change in the peninsula.

“It sounds difficult, but not impossible”, says Walter Russell Mead, author of the article.

According to him, Albania and Serbia are the main protagonists, encouraged by Turkey and Russia. They may agree to change borders, with Kosovo uniting with Albania and Serbian areas in Bosnia uniting with Serbia.

“Russians don’t just hate NATO; they see the EU as a barrier against Russia’s historical great-power role in European affairs. Turkey has also turned against the EU and is looking for leverage against Germany and its fellow members. For Russia and Turkey, the ability to cause Europe trouble in the Balkans with relatively little risk and cost is too good to pass up”, the author says.

Walter Russell Mead adds that Turkey, by signing a purchase of the Russian rocket system, showed that their NATO membership is just on paper, without a role.

The article details that Berlin is trying to avoid these scenarios, by encouraging the EU perspective in all Western Balkan countries with a series of initiatives, especially with Albanians and Serbs.

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