Chairman of the NATO Military Committee (MC), Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, said that the Alliance was facing Russian hybrid attacks, the reason why they had decided to send a counter-hybrid team to Montenegro.
In the session of the MC, which was held yesterday in Brussels, Marshal Peach said that the Alliance had engaged the first NATO counter-hybrid team in Montenegro.
“The first NATO counter-hybrid team has been deployed to our ally state, Montenegro, with the aim of helping to strengthen Montenegro’s capacities and deterring hybrid challenges”, said Marshal.
He added that defense spending continued to increase.
“NATO data shows a 4,6% increase in 2019. That’s the fifth consecutive year of growth. By the end of this year, allies will have invested over $130 billion”, said Marshal Peach.
United States Army General Mark Milley, the highest military officer and military adviser to the president, minister of defense and U.S. National Security Council, said that “it is evident that Russia has been trying to divide NATO and make it weaker”.
Representatives of Montenegro’s Defense Ministry have said recently that NATO counter-hybrid team visited Montenegro in November last year. The forthcoming parliamentary elections were the main reason for its deployment.
“This visit was the first such engagement in one of the allies, and it was an important experience for Montenegro. Montenegro wants to enhance its capacities and focus of NATO team was on strengthening legislative framework in this domain and its implementation”, said Mr Ivica Ivanović, director general for defense policy.
