Berlin – ESI discusses US foreign policy and the Western Balkans

13 May 2025
Adnan at a Panel discussion
Adnan takes part in a panel discussion. Photo: ESI

Adnan Cerimagic, ESI’s senior analyst, participated in an online panel discussion hosted by the Südosteuropa Gesellschaft on the theme “America’s Withdrawal from the Western Balkans? The Change in US Foreign Policy and its Consequences”.

The event brought together leading voices from politics, diplomacy, and civil society to assess the implications of a shifting US role in the region. Adnan joined a panel moderated by Florian Bieber, alongside Peter Beyer, member of the German Bundestag; Vukosava Crnjanski, director of CRTA Belgrade; Manuel Sarrazin, former special representative of the German government for the Western Balkans; and Valbona Zeneli, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Speakers debated whether the EU is ready to assume greater responsibility in the region, and what the possible consequences of reduced US engagement might be for democratic reforms, regional stability, and the future of EU enlargement. Drawing on ESI’s research, Adnan Cerimagic highlighted both the risks of US disengagement and the opportunities for more effective European support.

The recording of the panel is available here.