NATO officially invites Montenegro to become its 29th member

(Baonghean.vn) – On December 2, NATO Foreign Ministers officially issued an invitation to Montenegro to become the 29th member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic welcomed the new NATO membership offer. Photo: AP

On December 2, NATO members agreed on “a historic decision to begin accession talks with Montenegro”.

NATO is once again expanding its presence in the Balkans following the accession of Albania and Croatia. The ratification process is expected to take several months before Montenegro officially becomes a member of NATO.

In response to NATO's invitation, Montenegro's Foreign Minister Igor Luksic welcomed the decision. "This is a great day for our country, something we deserve," Luksic said.

Responding to Montenegro's desire to join NATO, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has repeatedly called it "a provocative act."

“This is a very confrontational idea. It does not contribute to peace and stability in the Balkans and Europe as a whole. It is likely to complicate the already troubled relations between Russia and NATO,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Chu Thanh

(According to Le Monde)