The Western Balkans remain one of Europe’s most fragile regions and require renewed US engagement to prevent future instability, a senior US lawmaker said on December 2 at a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing examining political tensions in the region.

Opening the hearing, titled “Flashpoint: A Path Toward Stability in the Western Balkans,” Europe Subcommittee chairman Keith Self said the goal was to ensure bipartisan alignment on US strategic priorities in the region.

“The goal of this hearing is to promote balance in the Balkans. It is my hope that perhaps members on both sides of the aisle can agree on the common goal of serving US interests as we seek to promote balance in this region, prosperity for its citizens, and deterrence of future conflicts,” Self said.

He described the Western Balkans as “the most unstable region in Europe” aside from the war in Ukraine and highlighted Serbia’s unresolved relations with Kosovo as “one of the core drivers of regional instability.”

Self warned that the 2023 Ohrid deal aimed at easing tensions “has stagnated,” and linked Kosovo’s political crisis to wider uncertainty. “Kosovo's election crisis has exacerbated this situation as a result of the republic's failure to form a government following its February 25th election,” he said.

The congressman also voiced concern over Bosnia’s political trajectory, saying: “The rapidly deteriorating situation in Bosnia has led to an exponential increase of the use of legally questionable bond powers by the high representative.”

Self listed demographic decline, corruption, organised crime and foreign interference from Russia, China and Iran as additional destabilising forces, warning that “the Western Balkans remain a tinderbox”. 

He said the United States must “have a significant impact on maintaining stability and preventing renewed conflict,” adding that Congress should help promote “lasting stability, peace, and prosperity in the Western Balkans”.