US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Lawton testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Europe, formally unveiling the Trump administration's strategy for the Western Balkans. In his formal remarks, the top US diplomat confirmed a fundamental shift in Washington's foreign policy, which is based on pragmatic solutions, strengthening security, and a relentless crackdown on transnational organized crime networks.
During his testimony, Lawton made it clear that the US would no longer provide open-ended support for unspecified objectives, officially declaring the end of classic interventions in the region. “Last year, at the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement, Undersecretary Landau made it clear that the era of nation-building from the outside is over. As he put it: ‘The United States is not providing unlimited means for unspecified, uncertain, and unrealistic objectives,’” Lawton told US lawmakers.
Washington's new strategy is based on three main pillars: maintaining stability, advancing the economic interests of American business, and fighting security threats without compromise. In this context, the American official placed emphasis on combating drug cartels and Balkan criminal networks. "The third pillar is cooperation with partners to counter threats, including Balkan transnational criminal organizations that cooperate directly with Western Hemisphere cartels that threaten the United States," he underlined.
Regarding Albania, Lawton confirmed operational cooperation on the cleansing of criminal networks and the modernization of the armed forces. “We are working closely with our NATO ally, Albania, to crack down on transnational criminal organizations and expand market access for American companies. A recently finalized Foreign Military Financing loan will help Albania meet NATO defense spending commitments and increase its purchases of U.S.-made equipment,” said the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State.
The American diplomat further underlined the commitment to the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the independence of Kosovo, while expressing concern about institutional delays in Pristina and excessive police actions against the Serbian population. Lawton called on Pristina and Belgrade to avoid provocations and return to direct dialogue, while appreciating the progress achieved through the Strategic Dialogue with Serbia, as well as the infrastructure and energy partnerships with North Macedonia and Montenegro.
