This Policy Brief will specifically consider the case of the Western Balkans, and Kosovo, as topics in the international agenda. How has this new era in international relations impacted the region’s importance, prominence, or potential downgrade to an afterthought? The NATO alliance has played a vital role in Kosovo’s recent history, so what can we expect from Mark Rutte’s new mandate, matched with a new Trump administration? How have international actors been shifting their stances in key issues of relevance for the region?

The brief then finishes with the suggestion on the way forward in this particular context, as well as proposes concrete recommendations for the Kosovar government to consider when engaging with international partners from this point forward, to ensure the Kosovar cause and the Western Balkans at large are not relegated to an afterthought.