Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has warned that Russia poses a significant threat to stability in the Western Balkans, accusing Moscow of seeking to fuel tensions and reopen unresolved disputes in the region.
Speaking in an interview with A2 CNN’s Off the Record, Bolton criticized the Trump administration’s approach to developments in the Balkans and said he was concerned that Russia could exploit regional tensions to weaken NATO cohesion.
“I think the real threat to stability in the Balkans is Russia and its efforts to cause trouble and stir up the old Balkan issues again,” Bolton said, arguing that the U.S. administration had taken the wrong approach.
He added that Russia could contribute to divisions within NATO and said the issue required greater attention.
“This is something we need to pay more attention to, but I don’t think Trump cares about NATO, or worries about NATO members in the Balkans, or others who want to be part of NATO,” Bolton said.
Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security adviser from 2018 to 2019, has repeatedly expressed concerns about the future of the transatlantic alliance under Trump. In a July commentary, he argued that NATO was facing internal strains alongside external security challenges, including Russia’s war in Ukraine.
His latest comments come amid continued debate over the U.S. commitment to NATO and Washington’s military role in Europe. NATO allies reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence at the alliance’s July summit in Ankara, while European members have been under pressure to increase defence spending and assume a greater share of the burden.
Bolton has also previously warned that the United States could reduce its military presence in the Balkans under the Trump administration, including potentially in Kosovo. Those remarks were made in March, when he said the possibility of U.S. troop withdrawals from parts of Europe should not be dismissed.
