NATO: Montenegro membership certain despite Russia objection
PLAVNICA, Montenegro — Montenegro’s bid to join NATO is progressing smoothly despite strong opposition from Russia, the Western military alliance’s No. 2 official said Thursday.
Rose Gottemoeller spoke in Montenegro where NATO is holding emergency exercise drills while Russian troops participate in war games in neighboring Serbia amid mounting tensions between Moscow and the West over Syria and a variety of other geopolitical issues.
Gottemoeller, on her first trip as deputy secretary-general, said that she expects that Montenegro will become a member next spring after all 28 NATO member states and the tiny Balkan country ratify the agreement in their parliaments.