After being called "aggressive" by Trump, Montenegro insists it's a friend in America

Earlier this week, President Trump identified a seemingly unlikely threat to global security: Montenegro

Trump was answering a question from guest Fox Tucker Carlson, who asked the president a hypothetical question: "Why is my son going?" Carlson was referring to Article 5 of the Treaty Washington, which obliges NATO members to help other member states when they are attacked.The article was invoked only once, in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

But Montenegrin officials insist Trump has nothing to fear. "Aggressive is a word that can not be applied in the case of Montenegro ", said Milica Pejanovic-Djurisic, Montenegrin's ambassador to the United Nations, in a telephone interview with the Washington Post.Montenegro, she said, advocates" stability in the region and tries in those turbulent years of helping others. "

In a statement released Thursday, the government Montenegrin t is called "stabilizing state in the region". he sent troops to Afghanistan. "We are building friendships, and we have not lost [a] only one, and at the same time we are able to defend and defend boldly and defensively our own national interests," the statement said. "In today's world, no matter how big you are, but how much you value the values ​​of freedom, solidarity and democracy."

The government also said that "the friendship and alliance of Montenegro and the United States The statement was published next to a photo of Vice President Pence in Montenegro l & # 39, last year

Montenegro joined NATO in June 2017, becoming the new member of the alliance.The US Senate voted 97 to 2 in favor of the accession of Montenegro but Russia has publicly opposed Montenegro's efforts, and Montenegrin officials have even accused Russian agents of conspiring to kill the then Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic in 2016 with the aim of undermining the country's candidacy for NATO – a claim that Russia has denied.

Rachel Rizzo, fellow of the Center for New The transatlantic security program of American Security, said that Trump is "extremely skeptical "with regard to enlarging the & # 39; NATO, which has made Montenegro an easy target. "The fact is that Montenegro is the opposite of the aggressive," Rizzo said.

This is not the first time that a controversy arises over Trump's behavior towards Montenegro. Last year, at the first summit of the country as a member of NATO, a video of Trump pushing Prime Minister Dusko Markovic became viral. As The Post reported at the time, the clip was featured in some late night American comedy shows and mentioned in a number of Montenegrin media.

But Markovic took a diplomatic stance in this regard. "It was a harmless situation," he told reporters. "I do not see it in any other way."

And Trump's comments may even have a glimmer of hope. "President Trump has made a worldwide promotion for Montenegro, although I do not think it was his intention," said the former Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs, Milan Rocen, in an e-mail addressed to The Post. "It can not hurt Montenegro … if it hurts him – remains to be seen."

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