EU Strategic Interdependence with Southeast Europe Gains Focus as Brussels Eyes Regional Resources and Security Integration

Brussels and Southeast European states are sharpening discussions on strategic interdependence as the European Union recalibrates its approach to regional economic integration and security resilience. Southeast Europe’s mineral wealth, critical infrastructure and agricultural capacity have emerged as assets in EU planning aimed at enhancing strategic autonomy and reducing reliance on non-European sources for defence and high-tech industries. 

Analysts note that lithium, copper, nickel and rare earth deposits across Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Romania and Bulgaria could support European defence supply chains and broader industrial needs. Securing these raw materials within integrated economic frameworks may limit exposure to external actors and strengthen Europe’s industrial base for defence systems, including electronics, radar and battery production. 

Energy transition and infrastructure integration also factor into the EU’s strategic calculus. Renewable energy projects involving foreign investment in Serbia and Montenegro demonstrate the region’s capacity to contribute to decarbonisation goals, while Adriatic ports such as Rijeka, Durrës and Bar are increasingly seen as logistical nodes connecting regional production to EU markets and supporting potential reinforcement routes for NATO operations. 

EU member Romania and Bulgaria are positioned as stabilising anchors, having already integrated their economies and aligned regulatory frameworks with Brussels. Their role underscores how economic and security interdependence can reinforce regional stability and counterbalance external geopolitical influence. Persistent demographic challenges and disparities in GDP per capita, however, highlight the need for deeper reforms and investment to realise full integration potential. 

Policymakers argue that pairing economic development with security cooperation will be essential in solidifying Southeast Europe’s contribution to European resilience, particularly amid heightened geopolitical competition and pressures on supply chains.