Thewesternbalkans.
According to some Albanian media, Prime Minister Edi Rama has downplayed growing Western fears of a possible Russian expansion of aggression in Europe, declaring that Moscow would “not attack Albania or any other European country” and that NATO remains fully capable of deterring any threat.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on the sidelines of the Berlin Global Dialogue late last month, Rama described the idea of any attack against a NATO or EU member as “completely stupid,” stressing that the alliance stands as the “strongest army in the world so far.”
“Russia will not attack Albania and Russia will not attack any other European country,” Rama said. “NATO is ready for any kind of aggression. NATO has nobody and nothing to fear.”
The remarks come as several European countries including Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Romania have accused Russia of drone incursions and airspace violations since early September. Tensions peaked on September 19, when NATO reported intercepting three Russian MiG-31 jets suspected of entering Estonian airspace, a claim Moscow denied.
Despite mounting anxieties in European capitals, Rama voiced confidence that NATO’s deterrence remains strong and that no member state faces a direct military threat. His position reflects Albania’s unwavering alignment with the transatlantic alliance and its consistent condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since joining NATO in 2009 and gaining EU candidate status in 2014, Albania has supported all EU sanctions against Moscow and taken part in regional security coordination efforts.
“The EU is being provoked a lot by Russia,” Rama noted, acknowledging the pressure on border countries but urging a strategic and measured response. “Countries on the border with Russia are being provoked on a daily basis … the EU is defending itself and thinking of defending itself better.”
Rama also implied that Europe should go beyond containment and develop a concrete peace plan for Ukraine, complementing U.S. efforts to end the war. His comments resonate with a broader European debate about balancing deterrence with diplomacy and underline Albania’s emerging voice as a small NATO ally advocating for pragmatic stability in a volatile geopolitical climate.
Comments: Albania is not a major player in geopolitical games, which is why it insists on pragmatic stability. Edi Rama quite intelligently shows that his country relies solely on NATO for its security. In this context, he also opposes the thesis of European bureaucrats regarding a direct military threat from Russia. He even goes quite far by advocating for a concrete European peace plan for Ukraine, complementing that of the United States.
