Historically, the Balkans has been the object of territory disputes since 14th century. Surrounding countries have fought to expand their sphere of influence over the area. This is unsurprising, given the strategic value of the Balkan countries even now. The fact of the matter is the demand for natural gas in Europe is increasing annually, while at the same time the rate of gas production is steadily plummeting. For this very reason, the West makes if a top priority to keep Balkan countries stable and peaceful, especially because it will secure gas supply from Central Asia to Europe. On the other hand, Russia will not remain silent under the threat of encroachment upon its sphere of influence by the West. To understand this issue, the author uses geopolitics perspective and Heartland theory by Sir Halford J. Mackinder (1861 - 1947) as a framework to analyze the behavior of great powers that are involved in this conflict of interest.