Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reduction in overseas aid has resulted in a 40% cut to funding aimed at countering Russian aggression and misinformation in a part of Europe he has called vital to UK security.
Funding to support the western Balkans, where Russia is accused of sowing division and destabilisation, has been reduced from £40 million last year to £24 million for 2025-26. The Integrated Security Fund (ISF), which addresses top-priority threats to UK security, is the source of this funding.
Starmer recently described the western Balkans—including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia—as “Europe’s crucible – the place where the security of our continent is put to the test.” Last year’s ISF funds helped counter cyber-attacks and strengthen democratic institutions and independent media in the region.
The cut appears to result from Starmer’s policy to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) for low- and middle-income countries. ODA for the western Balkans under the ISF has fallen from £31.91 million in 2024-25 to £17 million for 2025-26. Cabinet Office figures also show a £1.15 million cut in non-ODA funding for the region.
The 2025-26 financial year begins a gradual transition to reduce ODA from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income by 2027.
Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs select committee and a former shadow foreign secretary under Starmer, said: “I visited the western Balkans earlier this month. It is quite clear they are on the frontline of the fight against Russian disinformation and interference, and I am very proud of the work the UK is doing to support them in that fight—for their security and all of Europe’s. More work is needed to support independent media, not less. People are hungry to learn the truth and it’s very difficult to find it.”
Dr. Kate Ferguson of Protection Approaches, an NGO working to prevent identity-based violence in the western Balkans, said the UK has a strong record in the region that should not be undermined. “The national security strategy rightly recognises that we are in a period of intensifying strategic competition for the rules and governance of our world; in Europe we see this as Russia diversifies its efforts to undermine our democratic consensus,” she said. “It is essential then that our Foreign Office is properly and appropriately resourced to meet these growing threats to democracy and our collective safety. In recent years, the UK has distinguished itself in the western Balkans as a trusted and principled leader when others have sometimes faltered. Now, as new forms of Russian aggression and malign influence deepen in the region, this leadership must be bolstered—and not watered down.”
This week, the new head of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, said Britain is caught in “a space between peace and war” and described Russia as “aggressive, expansionist and revisionist, seeking to subjugate Ukraine and harass NATO.”
Shelagh Daley of Saferworld, an NGO with programmes in the western Balkans, said the cuts seem part of a UK government shift away from prioritising conflict prevention. “This reflects what we are seeing as a wider trend in ISF and other UK foreign aid spending amid the cuts. It appears to be a deprioritisation of work on conflict prevention and peacebuilding, even as conflict has increased globally, societies have become more divided, and basic freedoms are being curtailed. It doesn’t seem coherent or strategic to be pulling away from programming that aims to address the causes of conflict and fragility at a time when the risks to global security are so high.”
A government spokesperson said: “The figures in the report represent ongoing work to ensure value for money and focus resources on the UK’s highest priorities. We remain committed to supporting the western Balkans, a region of key strategic importance.”The ISF represents just one portion of the UK’s overall investment in the Western Balkans, which addresses challenges like organized crime and hostile state activity. The fund is structured to respond to the most current national security priorities and frequently supports short-term projects, so it is natural for its spending decisions to shift over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the UK aid cuts and their impact on countering Russian influence in the Western Balkans framed in a natural tone with direct answers
Beginner Definition Questions
1 What does UK aid cuts reduce funding to counter Russian influence actually mean
It means the UK government has significantly reduced its official budget for programs in the Western Balkans that were designed to promote stability support independent media fight disinformation and strengthen democratic institutionsareas where Russia is also active in spreading its influence
2 What are the Western Balkans
The Western Balkans typically refers to the countries in Southeast Europe that are not yet members of the European Union This includes Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Kosovo Montenegro North Macedonia and Serbia
3 How does Russia try to exert influence there
Russia uses a mix of statefunded media spreading proKremlin narratives disinformation campaigns online cultivating ties with sympathetic political and religious leaders and leveraging its energy supplies and historical cultural ties to sway public opinion and policy against Western integration
4 What kind of projects did the UK funding support
Funding supported projects like training independent journalists factchecking initiatives to combat fake news supporting civil society groups that monitor corruption and programs that strengthen the rule of law and good governanceall of which make countries more resilient to foreign manipulation
Impact Consequence Questions
5 Why is a 40 cut such a big deal
A 40 reduction is a massive drop in resources It means ongoing projects may be shut down midway local partners could lose crucial funding and close and the overall UK presence and ability to shape events in the region is dramatically weakened creating a vacuum others may fill
6 What are the direct risks of this funding cut
The main risks are increased spread of Russian and Chinese disinformation weakened independent media emboldened antiWestern political factions potential for increased social division and instability and a slowdown in the regions reforms needed to join the EU
7 Does this mean the UK doesnt care about the Balkans anymore
Not necessarily but it signals a major shift in priorities The UK government states it is focusing its reduced aid budget on extreme poverty and climate change However critics argue
