Balkans gripped by hope and fear as Trump takes office

Story Highlights

• “President Trump's inauguration speech and some of the first decisions the new administration has taken herald a new isolationist period for the United States. But it is not a new era of classic isolationism. President Trump has promised to ‘make America great again.’ But questions remain whether delivering on that promise is possible without American leadership in international relations,” notes the Albanian Institute for International Studies. “The Balkans is a crucial region for European security, and the security of Europe is important for the international order, where U.S. leadership has been crucial.” “Albania has a special reverence for the United States and for its policies and any perceived lack of balance in position to internal matters would harm this unique relationship. And perceptions are sometimes more important than reality,” the AIIS brief adds.