Velinovska: The United Kingdom wants to be seen as a relevant player on the European continent

Anamarija Velinovska, a researcher at the Institute for Democracy in Skopje, told Kosovo Online that although the United Kingdom is no longer a member of the European Union, its interest in the Berlin Process initiative stems from its foreign policy priorities. Under the government of Keir Starmer, one of those priorities is improving relations with European partners, and another is playing an active political role in international aid and governance.

"The Western Balkans fall under both of these priorities because the region is part of the European continent. The EU’s enlargement policy is an important aspect of its foreign policy, so I believe the UK still wants to be seen as a relevant player on the European continent. The UK's interest in the Berlin Process dates back to its formation in 2014, when it was one of ten EU partner countries supporting the initiative. After the launch of the initiative by Chancellor Merkel and Germany, the UK even hosted the summit in 2018, when it was still an EU member," Velinovska explained.

This year, the Berlin Process summit is being held in London, and Velinovska says that as host, the UK will have the opportunity to set the priorities for this year, even though the Berlin Process covers a wide range of activities.

"Each year, the host country can decide which topic will dominate the discussions. This year, following the UK’s lead, the priorities are security, defense, and migration, topics that are clearly of high importance to them. The UK recently signed a security and defense partnership with the EU, and now also an agreement with Germany focusing heavily on illegal migration, cyber security, and foreign influence. So through its chairmanship of the Berlin Process, the UK can, in a way, shape the direction of political discussion in the region," Velinovska emphasized.

She sees London’s primary interests in the Western Balkans as being the security and stability of the region. British foreign policy, she notes, is heavily centered on security, and this trend is not limited to the UK, as the entire world is increasingly focused on issues of security and defense.

"Since the region is vulnerable to foreign influences and illegal migration, I believe this is a way for the UK to exert influence and be a significant player in that domain. Another key interest lies in economically significant partnerships they have developed, particularly with North Macedonia. The two countries have a strategic partnership focused on investment projects, loans... So we can expect increased investment inflows from the UK. They are not only investing in North Macedonia but also in Serbia, such as in the Morava Corridor, so the economic factor is also important for the UK," she added.

As with any major power, she noted, the UK also projects soft power and influence, which are widely present in the Balkans through its diplomatic representatives, support for civil society organizations, student exchanges, scholarships, and more.

"The UK’s interest in the region is also evident in the recent appointment of senior diplomat Karen Pierce as Special Envoy for the Western Balkans. We can see that London’s interest in the region is expressed in multiple ways," Velinovska concluded.