The Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act seeks to significantly deepen the relationship between the United States and the Western Balkans, focusing on enhancing trade, investment, and democratic resilience. It aims to foster stable and sustainable economic growth, address persistent challenges like corruption and out-migration, and counter destabilizing foreign influences in the region. The bill recognizes the critical importance of the Western Balkans for European peace and stability, emphasizing mutual interests in promoting advancement. A central component is the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Initiative to expand technical assistance, share best practices, and strengthen national strategies, particularly in the judiciary and election oversight. The Act mandates a 5-year strategy for economic development and democratic resilience, coordinating efforts with international partners to identify opportunities for U.S. businesses and address barriers to trade and investment. This strategy also focuses on developing human capacity, supporting women-owned enterprises, and promoting sound governance. The legislation authorizes a Regional Trade and Development Initiative to boost private sector growth, increase intraregional and U.S. exports, and support startups, including those led by youth and women. This initiative also aims to facilitate and prioritize regional infrastructure projects, such as transportation, telecommunications, and energy security initiatives, to reduce dependence on Russian sources. It further seeks to ensure transparent procurement processes and strengthen protections against malign investments. To promote cross-cultural and educational engagement, the bill encourages partnerships between U.S. and Western Balkans universities, supporting research, knowledge exchanges, and English language teaching. It also calls for a report on expanding the Peace Corps presence in the region. A key provision is the expansion of the Young Balkan Leaders Initiative , formerly BOLD, to foster professional development, civic engagement, and networking opportunities for young leaders across the Western Balkans. The Act places strong emphasis on cybersecurity and cyber resilience , mandating an interagency report to review existing efforts, assess the information environment, and identify ways to strengthen defenses against malicious cyber activity. Furthermore, it requires biennial reports on Russian and Chinese malign influence operations and campaigns in the region, detailing their objectives, tactics, and U.S. counter-efforts. These reports aim to identify and combat activities that undermine democratic institutions and promote instability. Finally, the bill codifies existing U.S. sanctions related to the Western Balkans, allowing for their termination or waiver under specific conditions, and includes exceptions for humanitarian aid and intelligence activities. It also expresses a Sense of Congress supporting the normalization agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, while explicitly stating U.S. policy against land swaps or redrawing borders along ethnic lines in the region, advocating instead for pluralistic democracies.