Two risks require explicit management. First, rapid increases in defence spending can magnify corruption and mismanagement risks where governance is weak. Stronger rule‑of‑law and transparency requirements around defence budgets and tenders should be treated as non‑negotiable conditions for deeper integration. Second, investment patterns matter: in the absence of EU engagement, non‑EU players—Turkey most notably—are moving quickly to fill industrial gaps. While cooperation with a NATO ally is not inherently problematic, the EU should ensure that regional capacity growth is broadly interoperable with EU standards and embedded in European supply chains. Not less important, sustained CFSP alignment and political solidarity are as important as material contributions, as it is a precondition to foster trust – a crucial pre-condition for any discussion on industrial development cooperation, as well as operational deployments. Conclusions The Western Balkans have moved from the periphery of Europe’s security conversation toward a position where they can make steady, concrete contributions to EU defence readiness. Defence budgets are rising; procurement is aligning; industries can supply cost‑effective munitions and systems at scale; and geography offers a logistics bridge that Europe will need in any prolonged competition or contingency. The EU, meanwhile, has launched an ambitious industrial and capability agenda but still struggles to convert policy into near‑term capacity. Bridging these trends requires a more integrated approach that treats the region as part of the solution and rewards progress with access to programmes, projects and markets. Priorities flow directly from this logic: integrate Western Balkan firms into EU supply chains and joint procurement; co‑fund dual‑use infrastructure and mobility corridors; open EDA and other cooperation frameworks more widely; translate political partnerships into practical cooperation on projects, missions and training; and tie all of the above to rigorous governance and CFSP alignment. Done well, this will not only raise European readiness but also give the enlargement process practical momentum by making the benefits of alignment visible early on. This policy synergy could accelerate the full integration of the Western Balkans into the EU— the only viable path to firmly anchoring the region within the Union and completing the loop of European strategic autonomy as the continent’s way forward. 6