“The fundamental right of every independent country is to choose its paths, including security arrangements it wants to be involved in. So this is an issue between Montenegro and the 28 NATO member states”, Stoltenberg said in Trondheim, Norway, on Monday during the session of the alliance’s board.
The head of NATO believes that the parliaments of all 28 member states will ratify Montenegro’s NATO Accession Protocol, which is one of the last steps before the country formally joins the alliance.
“Some parliaments have already ratified it and I do not notice any problems, but we need decisions, we need ratification in all parliaments before Montenegro becomes a full member”, Stoltenberg told the Radio Free Europe.
Asked whether he was surprised by the Russia’s attitude, since it does not approve Montenegro’s joining NATO, Stoltenberg briefly said: “We welcome Montenegro and this welcome is not directed against anyone, including Russia.”
