From Belgrade and Banja Luka to Pristina, politicians are again speaking of war and division. But they are the words of political losers, running out of arguments to justify their hold on power, writes Frank Hofmann.

The direct Russian interventions in Ukraine and Serbia, as well as the scandals of the U.S. presidential campaign, have overshadowed another ongoing Russian power play -- one in the Balkans. It's quieter and far less violent than other assertive moves by the Kremlin, but that doesn't make it any less important in the 21st century re-enactment of the Great Game.

Ivo Vajgl, MP at the European Parliament, said that leaders in Balkans should carry responsibility that belongs to them for the stability of the region and that they should focus on the Euro-integration process.

Russian Foreign Minister on Tuesday said that a new war in the Balkans must be avoided, and that Albanian forces should not be in northern Kosovo and Metohija.

Speaking during his annual news conference in Moscow, Lavrov touched on the latest tensions between Belgrade and Pristina.

"The forces of Kosovo Albanians should not be present in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, which is inhabited by Serbs," said Lavrov.

The political settlement in the former Yugoslavia is unraveling. In Bosnia, the weakest state in the region, both Serbs and Croats are mounting a concerted challenge to the Dayton peace accords, the delicate set of compromises that hold the country together. In Macedonia, political figures from the large Albanian minority are calling for the federalization of the state along ethnic lines. In Kosovo, the Serb minority is insisting on the creation of a network of self-governing enclaves with effective independence from the central government.

A confidential NATO document on security in the Balkans has been adopted at a meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers this month.

Russia's Sputnik agency is reporting this on Tuesday, quoting Croatian daily Vecernji List, which said it was able to "exclusively" see this document.

Former Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle told an audience today (7 December) that if the EU distances itself from the Western Balkans, other geopolitical players will immediately seize the opportunity to assert their influence over the region.

The ex-Commissioner, who now works as a special envoy to the Balkans for the Czech ministry of foreign affairs, spoke to the BALKANS – boosting connections on the road to the EU conference, organised by the Friends of Europe, a Brussels think tank.

Gazeta Metro and RTK carry an opinion piece written by the U.S. expert on Balkans, Daniel Serwer. He has written about the situation in Balkans after Donald Trump’s election for the U.S. President. Below find the complete opinion piece:

Koha Ditore carries an opinion piece written for the paper by the Foreign Secretary of the Great Britain, Boris Johnson. Below find the complete opinion piece

In Pristina, I will discuss with Kosovo’s leaders their thoughts on the country’s future, including normalising relations with Serbia - surely the most important task of all

The brewing climate of fear and inter-ethnic mistrust has meant national leaders have been unable, and unwilling, to coordinate counterterrorism activities.

In Europe’s fragile southeast, Islamism threatens to galvanize national rivalries and unravel two decades of cold peace.