A Worrying Military Build-Up in the Western Balkans?

Summary

In this episode Blerim Vela examines the accelerating military modernisation across the Western Balkans, highlighting Serbia’s post‑2015 procurement surge and its ripple effects on neighbours. He explains how NATO members such as Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia are upgrading forces to meet alliance standards while non‑NATO states like Kosovo and Bosnia‑Herzegovina pursue defensive capabilities amid a growing security dilemma. Vela underscores the legacy of 1990s conflicts, Serbia’s multi‑vector strategy, and the risk that defensive moves can be misread, potentially destabilising the region.