Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-83

§10710 Reports on Russian and Chinese Malign Influence Operations and Campaigns in the Western Balkans

Title 22 › Chapter 114— WESTERN BALKANS DEMOCRACY AND PROSPERITY › § 10710

Last updated Apr 18, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of State must send a report no later than 180 days after December 18, 2025, and then every two years, to the appropriate congressional committees, including the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The Secretary must work with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, and other federal agency heads as needed. Each report must say what Russia and China are trying to do in the Western Balkans (for example, weaken democratic institutions and elections, cause political instability, and control public information), explain what U.S. agencies are doing to counter those actions, identify networks, groups, or people that support those efforts and how they help (including money or operations that may limit free speech or block access to elections). Reports must be unclassified but may include a classified annex.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §10710

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 180 days after December 18, 2025, and every two years thereafter, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, and the heads of other Federal departments or agencies, as appropriate, shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress, the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives regarding Russian and Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to Balkan countries that seek—

(1)to undermine democratic institutions;

(2)to promote political instability; and

(3)to harm the interests of the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization member and partner states in the Western Balkans.

(b)Each report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include—

(1)an assessment of the objectives of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China regarding malign influence operations and campaigns carried out with respect to Western Balkans countries—

(A)to undermine democratic institutions, including the planning and execution of democratic elections;

(B)to promote political instability; and

(C)to manipulate the information environment;

(2)the activities and roles of the Department of State and other relevant Federal agencies in countering Russian and Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns;

(3)an assessment of—

(A)each network, entity and individual, to the extent such information is available, of Russia, China, or any other country with which Russia or China may cooperate, that is supporting such Russian or Chinese malign influence operations or campaigns, including the provision of financial or operational support to activities in a Western Balkans country that may limit freedom of speech or create barriers of access to democratic processes, including exercising the right to vote in a free and fair election; and

(B)the role of each such entity in providing such support;

(c)Each report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 10710

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 18, 2026

Release point: 119-83