The war in Ukraine has reverberated across the Western Balkans in ways that reflect the region’s own political dynamics more than the influence of any external actor, including Russia. In Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, media coverage and public narratives surrounding the conflict have been shaped primarily by domestic political realities, local media structures, and long-standing identity divides.

The analysis is based on the "Security Radar" public opinion survey conducted by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in selected European countries, including Serbia, and a comparison of public opinion findings for 2022 and 2025.