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AP Photo/ Virginia Mayo
Russia's envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said that Montenegro’s accession to NATO weakens regional security and deepens the dividing lines in Europe.
WASHINGTON
(Sputnik) – Montenegro’s accession to NATO weakens regional security
and deepens the dividing lines in Europe, Russia's envoy to NATO
Alexander Grushko said.
"This is not the alliances first expansion, and, of course, not a
single round of expansion has improved our relations with the countries
that had decided to join NATO," Grushko told journalists on Friday,
adding that "the expansion itself generates a psychology of frontline
states, in essence creating new or moving old dividing lines in Europe
and contradicts the necessity of creating a new system of collective
security of the continent."
Grushko stressed that new threats and risks that Europe faces demand collective efforts and Montenegro cannot provide a weighty security input.
Russia's Foreign Ministry has warned that the negotiations over Montenegro's NATO membership will harm Eurasian and Atlantic security systems, as well as relations between Russia and the alliance.
NATO invited Montenegro to join the military bloc in December 2015. It was the alliance’s first expansion into Eastern Europe in six years. Montenegro accepted the invitation the following day, which triggered protests in the Balkan nation.
On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the accession of Montenegro into NATO will significantly raise the degree of tensions on the European continent.
Grushko stressed that new threats and risks that Europe faces demand collective efforts and Montenegro cannot provide a weighty security input.
"What serious input into security can we talk
about if the country in question has 2,000 military personnel?" the
Russian envoy said, adding that "probably, this [NATO accession] is yet
another step that weakens regional security and stability and aggravates
dividing lines, including in the Balkan region."
On Thursday, the foreign ministers of NATO member states signed an
accession protocol for Montenegro, granting the Balkan country observer
status at alliance meetings. Montenegro will be granted membership
to the alliance once the protocol is ratified by all 28 NATO member
states.Russia's Foreign Ministry has warned that the negotiations over Montenegro's NATO membership will harm Eurasian and Atlantic security systems, as well as relations between Russia and the alliance.
NATO invited Montenegro to join the military bloc in December 2015. It was the alliance’s first expansion into Eastern Europe in six years. Montenegro accepted the invitation the following day, which triggered protests in the Balkan nation.
On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the accession of Montenegro into NATO will significantly raise the degree of tensions on the European continent.
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