A Worrying Military Build-up in the Western Balkans?

A quiet but consequential military buildup is unfolding in the Western Balkans, creating a tense security dilemma where one nation's defensive upgrades heighten the insecurity of its neighbors. Serbia has been leading this trend for over a decade, significantly increasing its defense spending and diversifying its arsenal with advanced systems from Russia, China, and Western nations. In response, neighboring countries are also modernizing their own forces, driven by a mix of NATO requirements and deep-seated insecurity regarding Serbian ambitions. This arms race is particularly dangerous because it plays upon unresolved ethnic conflicts from the 1990s, creating a volatile environment where misperceptions could quickly trigger a crisis.