Foreign Economic Cooperation between Russia and the Balkan Countries: Current Status and Development Trends

The Balkans are a region that could facilitate the expansion of Russian influence, as Russia continues to be an important partner for some Balkan countries, primarily in the energy sector, supplying them with gas and oil, and in investment, participating in joint infrastructure projects. However, the expansion of trade and economic ties of the Balkans with the EU and China is gradually displacing Russia from regional trade and investment. Furthermore, under sanctions pressure many Russian companies have been forced to close their branches in the Balkan countries, while others are seeking new forms of cooperation. This necessitates identifying new opportunities for the development of relations between Russia and the Balkan countries. The article presents an overview of opinions on the feasibility of Russia's presence in the Balkans and considers the transformation of foreign economic cooperation between Russia and some Balkan countries in the 21st century. It analyzes the dynamics of key indicators of such cooperation, including exports and imports of goods, foreign direct investment flows, and others, as well as сore sectors of Russia’s presence in the Balkans. The study has also identified priority areas of Russian- Balkan cooperation under sanctions pressure.