On Thursday, NATO member states' foreign ministers signed an accession protocol for Montenegro, granting the Balkan country observer status at alliance meetings.
"We truly believe that traditionally good relations between our two countries should not disrupt because of the immature politics of the current Montenegrin regime, and that the Kremlin is well aware of the fact that the majority of citizens of Montenegro fosters brotherly love for the Russian people, and cherish them as one of their biggest and closest emotional and historical value," Zogovic said.
"In many historical challenges Russia was the only faith and hope for Montenegro and our citizens, and we are sure that we will always remain on the same side of history, on the side of freedom, truth and justice, which are our highest common values," he said.
The signing ceremony, attended by Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, took place at the ongoing two-day North Atlantic Council (NAC) session at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. Montenegro will be granted membership to the alliance once the protocol is ratified by all 28 NATO member states.
On December 2, 2015, NATO invited Montenegro to join the military bloc, in its first expansion into Eastern Europe in six years. Podgorica accepted the invitation the following day, which triggered protests in the Balkan nation.
