US Bill Seeks Review of Russia-China Military Ties in Balkans
A bipartisan US bill seeks a Pentagon review of Russian, Chinese and American arms transfers, military exercises and intelligence ties across eight Balkan countries.
The United States Congress is considering legislation that would require a comprehensive review of Russian, Chinese and American military and intelligence cooperation across eight countries in Southeastern Europe. The proposed Balkans Security Cooperation Act would examine weapons transfers, military exercises, security agreements and intelligence relationships dating back to 2012.
Introduced on October 5, 2026, by Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres of New York and Republican Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina, the bipartisan bill, designated H.R. 10748, has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It has not yet been approved by Congress.
Under the proposed legislation, the US Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, would be required to submit a report to congressional committees within 180 days of the bill becoming law.
Russian and Chinese Arms Transfers Since 2012
The legislation calls for a country-by-country assessment of military equipment and technology supplied by Russia, China and the United States, covering weapons systems and other defense hardware valued at $1 million or more.
The review would also document joint military training, exercises, bilateral security agreements and intelligence cooperation involving the three powers. For Russian and Chinese relationships, the Pentagon would additionally assess the implications for US and NATO security interests, including those of neighboring NATO member states.
The eight countries covered are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. The proposed report would be submitted in unclassified form, although sensitive findings could be included in a classified annex.
Serbia's Russian and Chinese Military Systems
Serbia provides one of the clearest examples of the overlapping defense relationships the legislation seeks to examine. Belgrade operates Chinese FK-3 and HQ-17AE air defense systems alongside the Russian-made Pantsir-S1, illustrating its continued reliance on suppliers outside NATO.
Serbia's Ministry of Defense publicly confirmed its acquisition of the FK-3 and Pantsir systems in June 2022. The country has subsequently expanded its Chinese defense inventory while also maintaining military relationships with Western partners.
As previously documented by AdriaDefense, Serbia's Chinese military equipment includes armed unmanned aircraft and air defense systems. In May 2026, Serbia also hosted a joint exercise with NATO, reflecting the country's simultaneous engagement with different defense partners.
The proposed legislation goes beyond conventional military procurement. It specifically requires an assessment of the Russian Humanitarian Center in Niš, Serbia, including whether the facility has links or coordinates activities with Russian intelligence agencies. The bill requests an investigation of these questions rather than asserting that such cooperation has been established.
NATO Members and Partners Also Face Review
The legislation's geographic scope is notable because it includes five existing NATO members: Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo are also included, despite their different institutional relationships with the alliance.
Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 2006 and continues to cooperate with the alliance on defense reform and security capacity development. In October 2025, NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina agreed on an Individually Tailored Partnership Programme covering 2025 through 2028.
The proposed American assessment would therefore compare Russian and Chinese security relationships not only in countries outside NATO, but also within the alliance itself.
Washington Already Monitors Foreign Influence in the Region
The new proposal builds on an existing US legislative framework. A provision enacted in December 2025 already requires periodic reporting on Russian and Chinese malign influence operations in the Western Balkans, particularly activities aimed at undermining democratic institutions, encouraging instability or harming US and NATO interests.
H.R. 10748 would establish a more specifically military-focused reporting requirement, incorporating weapons acquisitions, training activities and intelligence cooperation into a comparative regional assessment.
The bill does not itself introduce sanctions, restrict arms purchases or require countries to terminate security agreements. Its immediate objective is to provide Congress with a consolidated assessment of the region's defense relationships.
What countries would the Balkans Security Cooperation Act cover?
The proposal covers eight countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.
When would the Pentagon report be due?
If enacted, the legislation would require the report within 180 days of becoming law. No reporting deadline has yet been triggered because the bill remains under congressional consideration.
