Conflicts in the western part of the Balkan peninsula continue to simmer
Letter from Eastern Europe: Western Balkans a test for energy diplomacy
Common energy projects appear to be holding a famously fractious Balkan peninsula together—for now
The Balkan peninsula was once described as the powder keg of Europe, and despite furious diplomacy in recent weeks by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and other leading EU figures, conflicts in the western part of the peninsula continue to simmer. Energy is right at the heart of heated intrigue. But while elsewhere around the globe it often divides neighbours, here it is a major factor holding peace together. With oil and gas prices skyrocketing, Russian supplies in doubt and winter descending fast upon the region, a billion-euro energy fund consisting of grants and budget aid may go a long way to patch rising neighbourhood tensions, at least temporarily, and to put a lid o
Also in this section
4 March 2026
The US president has repeatedly promised to lower gasoline prices, but this ambition conflicts with his parallel aim to increase drilling and could be upended by his war against Iran
4 March 2026
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed following US-Israel strikes and Iran’s retaliatory escalation, Fujairah has become the region’s critical pressure release valve—and is now under serious threat
3 March 2026
The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in US–Israeli strikes marks the most serious escalation in the region in decades and a bigger potential threat to the oil market than the start of the Russia-Ukraine crisis
2 March 2026
A potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the escalating US-Iran conflict risks disrupting Qatari LNG exports that underpin global gas markets, exposing Asia and other markets to sharp price spikes, cargo shortages and renewed reliance on dirtier fuels
