Abstract ( Balkans , between war and peace - author Valdon Bytyçi ) Balkans even before it was given the current name has been a hotbed of inner conflicts , which also implicated the interests of the great powers of the time . This peninsula remains an unstable area , with conflicts and potential wars also at current times .
This paper aims to treat this area from the period when this geographical area was labeled as the Balkans up to the diplomatic , cultural , economic , strategic , geopolitical and geostrategic clashes between regional and global powers to dominate this stretch of land .
The Balkans , in this article appears in historical , political , economic and cultural terms giving readers a chance to get acquainted with the past , which would make it easier for the reader to figure out the constellation and the interest of so determined global players in the Balkan Peninsula with special emphasis in the western part of the peninsula .
The paper is divided into three parts , with each part intended to explain the specifics and influence methods of the current actors that are competing for dominance in this part of the world . This paper is an analytical approach , and suggestions will emerge .
Key words in this paper are : Russia , US , EU , the Balkans , Turkey , NATO , Foreign Affairs and Integration .