British drastically reduce budget for combating Russian influence in the Western Balkans

(Patria) - Great Britain has reduced by 40 percent the funds intended for countering Russian aggression and disinformation in the Western Balkans, a region that Prime Minister Keir Starmer himself recently described as key to British national security.

Funding for strengthening democracy and combating cyber attacks in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia has fallen from last year's 40 million to 24 million pounds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, writes The Guardian, as reported by Index.hr.

The funds come from the Integrated Security Fund (ISF), designed to address the UK's greatest national security threats.

Ironically, Starmer himself recently described the Western Balkans as an "European melting pot – a place where the security of our continent is tested".

Money from this fund was used last year, among other things, to combat malicious cyber attacks, strengthen democratic institutions, and support independent media in the region.

The reduction in funding appears to be a direct consequence of Starmer's policy of cutting Official Development Assistance (ODA) to low- and middle-income countries.

The amount of ODA allocated to the Western Balkans within the ISF has fallen from £31.91 million in the 2024-25 period to £17 million for the 2025-26 year.

Government data also shows a reduction of £1.15 million in non-ODA funding.

The 2025-26 fiscal year is the first in the Government's planned transition to reduce total ODA from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income by 2027.

A government spokesperson clarified that the published figures represent only a portion of total British investment in the Western Balkans.

- The figures in the report represent only one part of the UK's total investment in the Western Balkans on issues such as organized crime and hostile state activities.

The ISF is designed to adapt to the latest national security priorities and often funds short-term projects, meaning it is natural for spending decisions to evolve over time, the spokesperson added.