Montenegro Says it Embraces Peace and Stability

Montenegro says it “contributes to peace” in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent claim that the “very aggressive people” of the the small Balkan country could start World War III.

In a statement released Thursday, the Montenegrin government said it “contributes to peace and stability not only on the European continent, but worldwide, along with U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.”

The issue surfaced when Trump again criticized NATO during an interview with Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson when asked why his son should have to defend Montenegro if it is attacked.

The interview was conducted Monday after Trump, a longstanding skeptic of NATO, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.  Russia was chagrined when Montenegro joined NATO in 2017 and relations between the two countries have been strained as the Balkan nation forges closer ties with the West.

Trump responded, “I understand what you are saying.  Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people … They’re very aggressive people.  They may get aggressive, and congratulations, you’re in World War III,” Trump added.

The comments were made when Trump and Carlson were discussing Article 5, NATO’s common defense clause that says an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all member nations.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic said Trump’s remarks were “not in the context of justification of NATO’s existence, but of NATO funding.”   

 

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