International Conference: Current Security Challenges for the Western Balkan Region Addressed by Means of Joint Responsibility and Cooperation Russia will pursue its own geopolitical agenda, objectives and purposes which is difcult to understand. In this way Russia will be an unstable actor in Europe for a long time and cause for concern and perplexity. We should furthermore not think, even more, it Introduction will be illusory to assume, that the conict in the Dr Wulf Lapins Ukraine and the related crisis with Russia, will not affect the developments in the Western Bob Dylan once said:“I only sing what goes through my mind.” I will follow that motto and even just tell you –according to our subject- what is going Balkans. They will do. With other words: A longer period of tension with Russia will have in the medium and longer term an effect on the stability of the Western Balkans as well. through my mind as well. Currently Europe is facing the deepest crisis since the end of the Russia could strengthen its efforts to prevent Cold War. form Kosovo become in member of the UN in Numerous emergencies in the EU's strategic the long run; that the pursuit and striving of neighborhood challenge its role as a stable Kosovo to become a Member of NATO in the 3 anchor in instable world. The EU is not surrounded by a ring of democratic countries. future could be obstructed and prevented particularly by members such as Greece, Rather it is faced with an arc of insecurity, Slovakia, Romania and possibly Bulgaria, having instability and threats- stretching from the Sahel historical ties to Russia. Furthermore Russia to the Horn of Africa, including the Middle East has already or will increase its economic and the Caucasus Region- up to the new hybrid inuence in those countries. security threats in Eastern Europe. The security dimension is comprised of various security areas. These include political, economic, social, ethnic and religious challenges and are time and again interconnected- that often lead to military conicts. Russia will be able to sufciently develop its interference as well as its political potential. To inuence through public diplomacy the public opinion in Serbia and via the so called Republic of Srpska the European Politics of Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina. The common foreign and security policy is the weakest pillar in the European integration project. In Eastern Europe with a view to Ukraine – where there is partially war in the East of that country- the EU is committed. In this context, politicians, diplomats, political scientists and observers as well as the intelligence community are trying to gure out whether Russia is willing to return to a stable partnership in Europe. Many experts assert that In the shades of the Ukraine-Russia conict we are facing instabilities in the Western Balkans are looming. These uncertainties also have an impact on the European security. With regard to NATO accessions: Here the alliance could decide for security reasons. Spain for example had been a member 1982 for these reasons. In the preparation for this conference, the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation had met with leading NGOs in Kosovo with links to the region to