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A high-level meeting focusing on the Balkans took place in London on Wednesday. Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted the leaders of the six Western Balkan nations — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — to discuss security, economic cooperation and mutual geopolitical concerns. Croatia, already an EU member, also participated as a partner government.

In addition to the regional leaders, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz joined the gathering. The meeting was part of the Berlin Process, launched in 2014 with German support, which is designed to help the countries of the Western Balkans stay on the path toward EU membership.

For Europe, there are several reasons why the Western Balkans remains an important area. The region has been the starting point for numerous flashpoints over the centuries. The First World War and the fighting in the 1990s serve as a reminder. In the 21st century, while the nature of the challenges has evolved, the region’s importance to Europe’s overall security has not diminished. What happens in the region inevitably reverberates across the rest of the continent.

In the words of Starmer, opening the ceremony, the region is “Europe’s crucible — the place where the security of our continent is put to the test.” And there is no shortage of challenges in the region.

While the nature of the challenges has evolved, the region’s importance to Europe’s security has not diminished

Luke Coffey

First and foremost is the fact that the Balkans remains an area of unfinished business for Euro-Atlantic integration. In the aftermath of the Cold War, both the EU and NATO were quick to add new members in Eastern Europe. But the one region where this did not happen as quickly was the Balkans. Croatia is the only Western Balkans country that is already a member of both the EU and NATO. Meanwhile, Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro are members of NATO and aspire to join the EU someday. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia have not joined either, while Kosovo, recognized by most but not all EU members, seems the most distant from joining either group.

In addition, the region suffers from a lack of economic growth, which is exacerbated by sectarian divisions, poor governance and outside meddling. The Balkans have long been a hotspot for conflict in Europe and when Russia wants to put pressure on the continent, it often uses the region to do so. There is also a growing influence from China that has made many in Europe uneasy.

The Western Balkans has also become a key transit route for migrants traveling from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East into the heart of Europe. The region’s inability to tackle organized crime and political corruption has made it a prime corridor for human smugglers, traffickers and those who are willing to risk a perilous journey simply to seek a better life for themselves and their families. These pressures do not remain confined to the Balkans — they spill into Europe’s cities, economies and politics, shaping debates from Brussels to Westminster.

Another important issue that was addressed is the role the region plays in drug trafficking. The region has long been the source of illicit drug business, with weak governance and organized crime making it a place where smugglers can easily operate. The Western Balkans also serves as one of the main entry points for cocaine and other drugs from South America to enter Europe.

For the UK, it was clear there were several priorities at the summit. There was an emphasis on improving regional cooperation on security matters. But with Serbia remaining a problematic partner in the region, it is unclear what more can practically be done to improve the overall situation. There was also an important political dimension for Britain, given the heated domestic debate over migration.

The Western Balkans has also become a key transit route for migrants traveling into the heart of Europe

Luke Coffey

Starmer had hoped to secure an agreement with countries in the region, particularly Albania, to establish “return hubs” for individuals who reach the UK but are refused asylum. Unsurprisingly, the countries in the region were not eager to accept this proposal, at least publicly.

But even with the shortcomings from the UK on issues such as migration, the summit also tells us something else about Britain. Despite leaving the EU, it remains an indispensable European power. Besides Germany, the UK is the only partner to have hosted a summit under the Berlin Process more than once — first in 2018 and again this year. London also announced at the meeting that it would maintain its troop commitment to NATO’s mission in Kosovo, extending the mandate to at least December 2028. This reaffirmed the UK’s continued investment in European security and its willingness to lead, even from outside the EU’s institutional framework.

Just as Britain’s leadership has been evident in supporting Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, this week’s events served as another reminder that it is still a European security actor. On the international stage, the summit was a success for London. But when it comes to domestic politics — particularly the controversial migration issue — little progress was made.

As for the Western Balkans itself, the main focus of the gathering, it is unclear what, if anything, was achieved. There were a lot of repeated pledges and statements that are often heard by European leaders when talking about the Balkans. But at a minimum, Europe’s attention was on the region, if only for a day — a reminder to policymakers that there is still much work left to be done.

Recent history has shown that when countries join the EU and NATO, it often brings improvements in governance, the rule of law, security and prosperity. With the challenges from the Western Balkans impacting, in some cases, the daily lives of Europeans, getting the countries in the region into the Euro-Atlantic community will be worth the effort and will make the continent as a whole safer and more secure.

• Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey