Image credit: Melody Cook/CNAS

May 24, 2019

Chinese and Russian Influence in the Balkans

By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Rachel Rizzo, Zlata Gogoleva, Rachel Long and Sydney Simon

Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo are joined by recent George Washington University Elliot School of International Affairs graduates Zlata Gogoleva, Rachel Long, and Sydney Simon to discuss their capstone project, studying Chinese and Russian media, investment, and political influence in the Balkan region. Their project focused on identifying the methods and techniques Chinese and Russian actors use to integrate into the Balkan economies, the targets they seek to influence, and how European and American actors might counteract those influences. While Russia is interested in keeping Balkans within its sphere of influence in the short-term, China is preparing the groundwork for a long-term economic and political strategy—whether the two will work in concert or compete has yet to be determined.

  • Commentary
    • European Leadership Network
    • January 31, 2023
    European Integration’s New Geopolitical Momentum

    Offering more tangible benefits of accession prior to full membership will both keep candidate countries motivated to continue reforms and allow for a more gradual adjustment ...

    By Nicholas Lokker

  • Commentary
    • Inkstick
    • May 4, 2022
    Can Macron Play Nice with Other Europeans?

    To fully realize his ambitions for the bloc during his second term, macron will need to take greater care to forge consensus across eu member states, rather than repeating his...

    By Nicholas Lokker

  • Podcast
    • April 21, 2022
    Macron vs. Le Pen Redux, with Célia Belin and Ben Haddad

    What can we expect from the final round of the French presidential election? The possibility of a Le Pen presidency poses major concerns for the future of the European Union a...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Célia Belin & Benjamin Haddad

  • Podcast
    • July 2, 2021
    President Biden’s Trip to Europe, with Jeremy Shapiro and Amy Mackinnon

    What concrete outcomes were achieved during President Joe Biden’s recent trip to Europe? Jeremy Shapiro and Amy Mackinnon join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discus...

    By Jeremy Shapiro, Amy MacKinnon, Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia