With the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the European and Atlantic security architecture is changing significantly. Russia will remain a political and military challenge for the foreseeable future. The shifts in power are leading to political changes in the Balkans in particular. The precarious situation in Kosovo, the instability of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the role of Serbia in the region are at the centre of the associated changes. In Montenegro, there is an opportunity for a genuine democratic new beginning.

The project focuses in particular on Serbia's geopolitical ambitions, the changing role of the United States of North America China and Turkey and asks about the consequences for the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union. As part of the project, a study by Ulrich Schlie and Matthias Herdegen on the power shifts in the Balkans was presented in June 2023. Further individual studies on the role of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia in the region will follow. In addition, a study group is dealing with the reconciliation process in Bosnia-Herzegovina in a project planned for several years.