It has taken almost 25 years to get an agreement between the governments in Athens and Skopje on what to call the entity once known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It would be a mistake to dismiss this as a minor development — particularly now, when the unity of the trans-Atlantic alliance is at its lowest point since World War II and the unity of the European Union is under challenge in every national election.

In fact, the historic compromise to rename the country the Republic of Northern Macedonia, thus softening a rivalry over national histories, opens a window of opportunity for leaders in Europe and the United States to defy current trends and begin shaping a secure future for the Balkans, an achievement that would help secure stability for all of Europe.

The hard-won agreement on Macedonia could still be undermined. The region is known for its tragic history. It’s where World War I began, and it is the site of the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Since the violent disintegration of Yugoslavia, however, the region’s prospects have brightened as states have moved toward European Union and NATO membership. Slovenia and Croatia are already in the European Union; Montenegro and Serbia are candidates; Albania can follow, as can Northern Macedonia, now that the naming dispute has been resolved.