Another regional dialogue initiative in the Balkans is being attempted by Ankara, projecting its role as a coordinator of developments in a region with chronic tensions and open fronts. The focus was on a meeting of foreign ministers of Western and Central Balkan countries, hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The meeting was attended by the heads of Diplomacy of Albania, bosnia And herzegovina, Montenegro, kosovo, North Macedonia and serbia, As part of a recently formed group that is meeting for the second time after its first appearance in the summer of 2025.
In parallel with the multilateral contacts, The turkish minister held separate bilateral meetings with each delegation, seeking to strengthen turkey's direct political and diplomatic lines of Communication with the balkan states.
According to diplomatic sources, the Turkish side placed particular emphasis on the logic that the Balkan states themselves should have the first say in managing regional problems. This approach, described as “ownership of the region,” was presented not as a substitute for international mechanisms, but as a tool that operates in parallel and complementary to them.
Unlike the first meeting, which was more exploratory in nature and aimed at establishing a channel for dialogue, this year's agenda moved to a more practical level. Issues of energy security, digital transformation, transport connectivity and technological cooperation were brought to the table, with an emphasis on specific projects rather than general declarations.
Particular emphasis was also placed on border management and tackling irregular migration, an issue that continues to cause pressure along the so-called Balkan route to Europe and affect both bilateral relations and cooperation with the EU.
Regarding the European perspective of the region, Turkish diplomacy reportedly argued that the European Union's enlargement policy needs greater flexibility and adaptation to the specificities of each country, avoiding horizontal approaches that ignore the different political and social realities of the candidate states.
Ankara's initiative reflects its effort to maintain an active role in the Balkans, investing in cooperation forums that, while not openly challenging existing international institutions, strengthen the Turkish presence in a geopolitically sensitive neighborhood of Greece.
