Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic Hedging
Great-power interest in the Western Balkans has risen over the last few years, and while the West, China, and Russia have been competing for influence, Western Balkan leaders have encouraged the greater engagement of external actors in the region. This article contributes to the study of the gatekeep...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Center for Europe, Warsaw University
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Studia Europejskie |
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| Online Access: | https://journalse.com/great-powers-and-gatekeepers-in-the-western-balkans-serbias-strategic-hedging/ |
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| author | Nikolaos Tzifakis Eleni Vasdoka |
| author_facet | Nikolaos Tzifakis Eleni Vasdoka |
| author_sort | Nikolaos Tzifakis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Great-power interest in the Western Balkans has risen over the last few years, and while the West, China, and Russia have been competing for influence, Western Balkan leaders have encouraged the greater engagement of external actors in the region. This article contributes to the study of the gatekeeping role of Western Balkan leaders by examining Serbia’s foreign policy towards great powers since Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party (hereinafter; the SNS) rose to power. The article argues that Serbia has adopted the strategy of hedging not only towards the European Union (EU) and the United States, but also towards Russia and China, sending ambiguous and contradictory signals on its alignment preferences. In doing so, the incumbent regime has sought to increase its domestic legitimacy and generate benefits for its patronage and clientelistic networks. The article assesses that Serbia’s strategy has been successful, as it has been perceived as credible and has involved only relatively moderate costs for the great powers. Still, the tenability of Serbia’s hedging in the long term is doubtful in a structural setting marked by the increased fierceness of the competition between the great powers. Therefore, to comprehend the influence of the great powers on the Western Balkans, we should take into consideration both the structural environment and the preferences and actions of the countries in the region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ef000b8859134b33add631a573f2cfeb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1428-149X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Center for Europe, Warsaw University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Studia Europejskie |
| spelling | doaj-art-ef000b8859134b33add631a573f2cfeb2025-08-20T02:32:20ZengCenter for Europe, Warsaw UniversityStudia Europejskie1428-149X2025-03-0129128730910.33067/SE.1.2025.15Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic HedgingNikolaos Tzifakis0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4653-6882Eleni Vasdoka1https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5638-5875University of the Peloponnese, GreeceUniversity of the Peloponnese, GreeceGreat-power interest in the Western Balkans has risen over the last few years, and while the West, China, and Russia have been competing for influence, Western Balkan leaders have encouraged the greater engagement of external actors in the region. This article contributes to the study of the gatekeeping role of Western Balkan leaders by examining Serbia’s foreign policy towards great powers since Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party (hereinafter; the SNS) rose to power. The article argues that Serbia has adopted the strategy of hedging not only towards the European Union (EU) and the United States, but also towards Russia and China, sending ambiguous and contradictory signals on its alignment preferences. In doing so, the incumbent regime has sought to increase its domestic legitimacy and generate benefits for its patronage and clientelistic networks. The article assesses that Serbia’s strategy has been successful, as it has been perceived as credible and has involved only relatively moderate costs for the great powers. Still, the tenability of Serbia’s hedging in the long term is doubtful in a structural setting marked by the increased fierceness of the competition between the great powers. Therefore, to comprehend the influence of the great powers on the Western Balkans, we should take into consideration both the structural environment and the preferences and actions of the countries in the region.https://journalse.com/great-powers-and-gatekeepers-in-the-western-balkans-serbias-strategic-hedging/serbiastrategic hedgingwestern balkanschinarussia |
| spellingShingle | Nikolaos Tzifakis Eleni Vasdoka Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic Hedging Studia Europejskie serbia strategic hedging western balkans china russia |
| title | Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic Hedging |
| title_full | Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic Hedging |
| title_fullStr | Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic Hedging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic Hedging |
| title_short | Great Powers and Gatekeepers in the Western Balkans: Serbia’s Strategic Hedging |
| title_sort | great powers and gatekeepers in the western balkans serbia s strategic hedging |
| topic | serbia strategic hedging western balkans china russia |
| url | https://journalse.com/great-powers-and-gatekeepers-in-the-western-balkans-serbias-strategic-hedging/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nikolaostzifakis greatpowersandgatekeepersinthewesternbalkansserbiasstrategichedging AT elenivasdoka greatpowersandgatekeepersinthewesternbalkansserbiasstrategichedging |