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New military alliances appear in the Balkans — and Hungary has also joined one
New military groupings are reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the Balkans, with Hungary stepping into a more assertive role by aligning itself closely with Serbia. The move comes as tensions simmer in the region, especially between Western Balkan NATO allies and countries like Serbia that maintain closer ties to Russia.
On 1 April, Serbia and Hungary signed an ambitious defence cooperation plan, building on their 2023 strategic partnership. The agreement includes 79 military-related activities for 2025, including joint exercises, arms industry collaboration, and officer training. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has gone so far as to describe the agreement as a “military alliance”.
Although no formal alliance was announced, experts view this as a significant escalation in bilateral cooperation. Hungary’s involvement—despite being a NATO and EU member—has raised eyebrows, particularly due to its increasingly close relationship with Belgrade, which maintains military neutrality and has strong ties with Moscow.
Forming alliances on the Balkans
In contrast, three NATO-aligned Balkan countries—Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo—signed a joint defence declaration in March to strengthen coordination and interoperability. While not a formal alliance, the move is seen as a united front against perceived regional threats, especially from Serbia and the Serb-dominated entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina, 444.hu writes.
Hungary’s decision to side so visibly with Serbia places it at odds with some of its NATO allies. It also signals a broader strategy by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to foster strategic autonomy within the EU, often in cooperation with non-Western or semi-aligned countries.
The Hungarian government has not publicly framed the agreement as part of a new regional bloc, but analysts warn that its increasing alignment with Serbia could contribute to deeper fragmentation in the Balkans. Budapest’s moves come at a sensitive time, with the EU and NATO seeking to stabilise the region and limit Russian influence.
While Kosovo is still pushing for NATO membership, Hungary remains one of the few EU countries that regularly blocks EU-level criticism of Serbia, particularly concerning its stance on Kosovo’s sovereignty. These diplomatic gestures, coupled with expanding military ties, suggest a calculated pivot by Hungary toward bolstering a regional axis that could rival Western-aligned initiatives in Southeast Europe.
The Balkans is entering a new phase of strategic competition, and Hungary appears determined to secure its own sphere of influence: one that may not always align with broader EU or NATO interests.
Wish to read more on Serbia-Hungary relations? Click HERE. How about NATO-related news? Find them HERE.
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The harsh reality of the world is that everyone screws everyone else, one way or another, sooner or later. So pursue policies that are the most advantageous to your own nation and let whoever wants froth at the mouth.
I fail to see how fomenting ethnic and relgious tensions in the Balkans serves either Hungary’s or wider Europe’s interests. I can see how allying with Serbia and the Serbian Republic in Bosnia does the Kremlin’s bidding, however.
The Kremlin has been constantly working to foment division and conflict in the Balkans to create pressure on the EU and NATO. Serbia has always tried to dominate other ethnic groups reaching the point of committing genocide in the early 90s. To this day the divisions between Serbia and the neighbours it committed brutal aggression against have never been fully resolved. Serbia never had its’ version of “denazification” and Hungary has stepped in to promote Serbia’s side against Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro. The scandal of Hungarian military operatives infiltrating Republika Srpska to intervene in the internal affairs of Bosnia confirmed Hungarian actions as malignant in the region and allied with Russia.