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Albania punching above its diplomatic weight class in efforts to contain Russian aggression [1]

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Date: 2025-06

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama hold signed copies of the 10-year strategic cooperation pact they signed in Davos in January 2025. (Photo: president.gov.ua)

Albania is emerging as a diplomatic hub in the Western Balkans region for efforts aimed at countering Russian influence, a recently released report by the New Lines Institute (NLI) shows.

One report in an anthology, titled Albania Redefined: NATO and the Security Architecture Shaping Tirana’s Foreign Policy, traces the country’s development since joining NATO in 2009 into a state that is “punching above its diplomatic weight.” That fact was underscored in mid-May, when Tirana hosted a gathering of European leaders to coordinate action aimed at pressuring Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Albania has arguably been Kyiv’s strongest supporter in the Western Balkans since the start of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine in 2022. “From the beginning of the conflict, Albania condemned Russia’s invasion and expressed steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the report states. “Albania fully aligned itself with NATO’s response to the war and supported international sanctions against Moscow in line with the European Union’s position.”

A diplomatic milestone for Tirana was its hosting of the European Union-Western Balkans summit in early 2022, an event that marked the first time the annual gathering was convened outside of an EU member state. Albania also hosted the 2024 Ukraine-Western Balkans summit, which focused on forging a common approach “to security threats posed by Russia.” That gathering enabled Tirana to “showcase regional leadership,” the report states.

In January, Albania signed a 10-year strategic cooperation pact with Ukraine covering a wide range of areas, including defense & security, intelligence sharing, cyber security and mutual diplomatic support for EU accession.

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[1] Url: https://eurasianet.org/albania-punching-above-its-diplomatic-weight-class-in-efforts-to-contain-russian-aggression

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