A new WeBalkans survey has revealed which international partners people across the Western Balkans trust the most, with Albania and Kosovo once again emerging as two of the region’s most pro-Western societies.
In Albania, the European Union tops the list with 91.9% trust, followed closely by the United States at 88.4%. Türkiye ranks third with 77.5%, ahead of the United Kingdom (65.6%) and Norway (59.5%). At the bottom of the list is Russia, trusted by just 5.8% of Albanians.
In Kosovo, the United States is the most trusted international partner, earning 88.5% support. The European Union follows with 83.3%, while Türkiye (78.1%), the United Kingdom (76.0%) and Norway (60.2%) complete the top five. Trust in China stands at only 9.1%, while Russia receives 8.4%.
The survey also highlights significant differences across the rest of the region.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Union remains the most trusted partner with 72.0%, followed by Türkiye (54.2%). In North Macedonia, the EU also leads with 79.5%, ahead of Türkiye (67.9%) and the United States (61.9%).
Montenegro continues to lean toward Western partners, with the European Union receiving 72.8% trust. China, however, ranks second with 64.5%, making it one of the highest levels of trust in Beijing anywhere in the region.
The biggest outlier remains Serbia. Unlike every other Western Balkan country, Russia ranks first with 58.4%, followed by China at 54.5%. The European Union comes third with 39.8%, while the United States is trusted by only 16.0% of respondents.
Meanwhile, in Türkiye, the European Union leads with 49.1%, followed by Russia (44.2%) and China (39.5%).
The findings underline a clear pattern: Albania and Kosovo remain the strongest supporters of the West in the Balkans, while Serbia continues to stand apart with its closer alignment toward Russia and China.
