Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg in Serbia and Kosovo

PeopleOther ♦ Published: June 14, 2022; 21:01 ♦ (Vindobona)

Austrian foreign policy is always eager in the Balkans, especially in times of the Ukraine war. Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled again to the Western Balkans region, more precisely to Serbia and Kosovo. The talks focused on the impact of the Russian war against Ukraine, the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries and the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (l.) met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (r.) in Belgrade. / Picture: © BMEIA Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres / Gruber / Flickr Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

The Western Balkans are strategically important for the European Union and Austria is trying to advance Euro-Atlantic integration in the Balkans.

Especially in the course of the Ukraine war, voices are being raised saying that the countries of the Balkans are being ignored. Thus, Austria repeatedly advocated that the Balkan states, which are EU candidates, are not left out…