Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-83

§10708 Supporting Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience in the Western Balkans

Title 22 › Chapter 114— WESTERN BALKANS DEMOCRACY AND PROSPERITY › § 10708

Last updated Apr 18, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States must help Western Balkans countries improve their cybersecurity, cyber resilience, and secure internet and communications systems. Congress says that helping them will make the region better able to defend against and respond to harmful cyber activity, that weak networks can be hacked or used to spread false information, and that supporting this work is in the U.S. national security interest, especially because of threats from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. By December 18, 2026, the Secretary of State, working with the Defense and Homeland Security Departments and other federal agencies, must send a report to the appropriate congressional committees and the Senate Armed Services Committee. The report must describe interagency efforts, the information environment in each Western Balkans country, current U.S. cyber and digital programs (including efforts to counter influence operations and protect elections; strengthen ICT, access, and cybersecurity; support democracy and internet freedom; and build partner cyber skills), how cyber threat information is shared, options to improve U.S. assistance and the pros or cons of placing cyber staff at U.S. diplomatic posts and training Foreign Service Officers, and any extra help needed for NATO allies Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §10708

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It is the sense of Congress that—

(1)United States support for cybersecurity, cyber resilience, and secure ICT infrastructure in Western Balkans countries will strengthen the region’s ability to defend itself from and respond to malicious cyber activity conducted by nonstate and foreign actors, including foreign governments, that seek to influence the region;

(2)insecure ICT networks that are vulnerable to manipulation can increase opportunities for—

(A)the compromise of cyber infrastructure, including data networks, electronic infrastructure, and software systems; and

(B)the use of online information operations by adversaries and malign actors to undermine United States allies and interests;

(3)it is in the national security interest of the United States to support the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of Western Balkans countries; and

(4)it is in the national security interest of the United States to support continued progress to enhance cybersecurity infrastructure in Western Balkan countries in response to threats posed by state and non-state actors, including threats originating from the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

(b)Not later than 1 year after December 18, 2025, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate that contains—

(1)an overview of interagency efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and cyber resilience in Western Balkans countries;

(2)a review of the information environment in each Western Balkans country;

(3)a review of existing United States Government cyber and digital initiatives that—

(A)counter influence operations and safeguard elections and democratic processes in Western Balkans countries;

(B)strengthen ICT infrastructure, digital accessibility, and cybersecurity capacity in the Western Balkans;

(C)support democracy and internet freedom in Western Balkans countries; and

(D)build cyber capacity of governments who are allies or partners of the United States;

(4)an assessment of cyber threat information sharing between the United States and Western Balkans countries;

(5)an assessment of—

(A)options for the United States to better support cybersecurity and cyber resilience in Western Balkans countries through changes to current assistance authorities; and

(B)the advantages or limitations, such as funding or office space, of posting cyber professionals from other Federal departments and agencies to United States diplomatic posts in Western Balkans countries and providing relevant training to Foreign Service Officers; and

(6)any additional support needed from the United States for the cybersecurity and cyber resilience of the following NATO Allies: Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 10708

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 18, 2026

Release point: 119-83