Modern Russia in the Modern Balkans: Soft Power through Investment
... de-intensification of relations with the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe in the 1990s, Russia in the 2000s began to restore its presence through economic tools, such as investment. The Western Balkans (former Yugoslavia) happened to be one region where this was particularly intense... ... republics of the former Yugoslavia analyzed in this paper can be divided into three groups. Serbia, which has historically enjoyed a “special relationship” with Russia... ... and opportunities, while also providing a solid testing ground for the use of “soft power” in other, less friendly, parts of the world in which our country is...