State partnership program balkans

While the U. At a time when both countries continue to expand their presence in eastern Europe, it becomes evident that the U. The U. Targeted support for European allies is a strong incentive for U. The State of the Balkans. Bosnia and Serbia present the most significant opportunity for global competition from China and Russia and, more importantly, present the greatest threat to stability in the region.

Kosovo is a unique country that declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, , and has been recognized by the U. However, both China and Russia do not recognize Kosovo and limit their involvement both economically and diplomatically. S could leverage. Corruption and lack of transparency have been a rising concern as the global competition continues to intensify.

As Serbia positions itself to receive support from China, Russia, and the United States, it can be said that the geopolitics for Serbia is intensifying as the country plays an increasing role in the region. Furthermore, Serbia serves as one of the strongest allies for Russia and China in the area, and their connection will likely increase over the coming years.

Highlighting the strengthening bond between Russia and Serbia, joint exercises were recently held in May , bringing their militaries closer aligned. Since , the U. Russia Efforts throughout the Balkans. Russia has shown in recent years that it is not afraid to pursue an aggressive approach throughout Europe if it believes such actions are in its best interest.

Russia has uniquely positioned itself to benefit from the Balkans, especially through Serbia and portions of Bosnia such as the Republika Srpska. Russia is pursuing a comprehensive strategy itself that strives to hinder any further integration of NATO but can benefit from the stability it can bring.

By positioning themselves as enduring partners to Serbia and Bosnia, Russia can have unfettered access to conduct disruption operations against NATO and be ready to support through trade when these countries join the E. China and the Balkans. As seen globally, China has aggressively pursued many infrastructure projects, and the Balkans are no different. China has provided loans to North Macedonia for energy plants, constructed a coal power plant in Bosnia, a motorway in Montenegro, and various projects throughout Serbia.

Balkan countries may view China as the easy choice for financing, but significant risks can arise by choosing the less restrictive option.

Montenegro is not alone in this case, as North Macedonia has suffered issues of corruption based on Chinese loans. While this is just a small sample of Chinese efforts within the region, a more significant concern is what effects and influence these loans provide China.

The idea behind it is that China extends excessive loans to countries at high-interest rates to a point where the government is heavily indebted to China with little chance of effectively repaying the loan, placing enormous Chinese political leverage on the country.

Scholars such as Dr. Sri Lanka provides a telling example: Following the end of its civil war in , the country was in need of infrastructure investment, and China quickly stepped in to assist with significant loans. Sri Lanka was then hit with a stalling economy, and the burden of Chinese investments became too much for Sri Lanka. Answer: What is But the move was sure to upset the tenuous balance with neighboring Serbia, with whom Kosovo has had a decadeslong territorial dispute.

In the lead-up to the election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox. Timothy Orr, former leader of the Iowa National Guard. Orr knew the Kosovo Security Force's then-leader, Lt. Rahman Rama. So when the United States had to tell this close political and strategic partner to back off their movement for an official defense force — a movement entwined with their national pride — Orr was just the friend the U.

Suddenly, a situation all but guaranteed to boil over, cooled off to a low simmer. That phone call was the result of a yearslong effort to build trust, buy-in and friendship between Iowa and a nascent democracy halfway around the world.

Celebrating 10 years of collaboration in , Iowa's relationship with Kosovo began through the federal State Partnership Program.

A military endeavor, the federal State Partnership Program started as a way to pair National Guard troops with Eastern Bloc militaries, but has since expanded to include countries all over the world. Each mission comes with its own memories and inside jokes, but his favorite story starts with the smile of a little Kosovar girl. Walking in his fatigues, the girl — with smile beaming — approached him and asked for a hug.

He agreed and she jumped up to nuzzle her head into his shoulder. When he handed her the American flag patch adorning his shoulder, her eyes welled up. She ran back to her friends, displaying the patch like a treasured family heirloom. And in Iraq, the fighting never seemed to stop, said Sgt.

Robert Kargle. When one enemy was defeated, it felt like there was another immediately ready to take their place. But in Kosovo, schedules were always more structured, with less need to respond to breaking situations. Guard members found time to use their civilian skills. When Wendzel was in country, a pilot who was also a teacher at Iowa State University planted corn on the base. He'd use the crops as an outdoor classroom to show villagers how best to use the land.

They bought school supplies and books and even raised enough money to send one of the Kosovars to school in America. On Sgt. Ilir Rama's wall hung three poster-sized handwritten lists filled with to-do items identified by the Iowa National Guard during a summertime exercise.

Back then, those were Rama's guiding principles.