NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the invitation to Montenegro, which has strong economic and cultural ties to Russia, reaffirmed the alliance’s longstanding “open-door” policy toward potential member states.
[…] Viktor Ozerov, chairman of the defense committee at the upper house of Russia parliament, told state-owned RIA Novosti news agency that Russia will freeze joint projects with Montenegro, including defense cooperation.
Srdjan Milic, leader of Montenegro’s pro-Russian opposition, said NATO’s formal invitation “represents an aggression on peace, stability and security of citizens of our country,” and several recent protests by thousands in Montenegro against the pro-NATO government turned violent.
NATO’s announcement sets in motion …read more
Source: San Francisco Chronicle