Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans, and of the extent of Russian influence in the region.

Instability in the Western Balkans undermines regional security and economic growth. Ministers are engaging with Western Balkan leaders to promote stability and prosperity, including in my meeting in July with the Bosnian Presidency Chair, Denis Becirovic, and the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary's engagement with regional leaders at the European Political Community and NATO Summits. The UK is also working with European and US allies to strengthen collective engagement. Across the region, Russia uses disinformation and other hybrid techniques to undermine sovereignty and democracy. Through UK programmes and policy, we are actively building resilience to counter this interference.