The preference I think Putin has is of the Balkans coming under the sway of Russia economically. Ukraine had been moving away from Russia so he started what is going on there now. But I think he will be happy if they stay a buffer state with the economic ties closer ties to Russia than the west. If they move to far he will move militarily in such a way that the Balkan states will be under Russian sway permanently or undesirable to the West.
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