[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 196 (Monday, December 9, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              THE BALKANS

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, it is of the utmost importance that we 
recognize that the Balkan region is critical to U.S. interests in 
Europe due to the implications in the region surrounding security, 
counterterrorism, cyber security, and implementation of 5G. It is a 
strategically significant region and a primary target of Russian malign 
influence.
  Each year I have the honor of hosting a Balkan Roundtable Security 
Forum with leaders from the Balkans and Members of Congress. NATO's 
role in southeastern Europe is critical for the support of our 
interests in the region. Integration of the Balkans into NATO, the EU, 
and other partnerships with our friends in the region has long been an 
important goal, given the mounting threat posed by Russians continued 
behavior. In a time where our strategic competitors are seeking to 
expand their influence, it is critical that our friends in the Balkan 
region know that the United States is here to support them and work 
together to counter our common foes.
  It is clearly stated in the President's National Security Strategy, 
the National Defense Strategy, and the National Military Strategy that 
Europe and the Trans-Atlantic NATO Alliance are paramount to our 
national security, and this includes the integration of our allies on 
the Balkan Peninsula. We have made significant strides in adapting our 
capabilities in many areas, including cyber, to meet the growing 
threats in the region, but we must continue to work with our partners 
to counter the evolving threats from Russia and China and preserve a 
Europe that is whole, free, and at peace.

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