Geopolitical competition of world political actors for influence on contemporary Serbia

The author of the paper finds out the manifestations of the geopolitical competition of world political actors (the United States, NATO, the European Union) for influence on Serbia in 2008-2020. The study focuses on the political interests of these actors and strategies for their implementation. Serbia is strategically important for Western countries as the missing link for full control over the Balkans and isolation of Russia. Turkey, which is pursuing a neo-Ottoman course, is interested in restoring its control over the Balkans, which is being hindered by Serbia. Ethnopolitical and confessional conflicts in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina are used by the United States, NATO, and the European Union to increase pressure on the Serbian leadership. Serbia’s geopolitical orientations remain inconsistent, reflecting attempts to maneuver between competing world players. The possibilities for such a policy are steadily shrinking, leaving Serbia with a geopolitical choice to make.