Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Welcome! Log in to stay connected and make the most of your experience.

Input clean

Montenegro Needs U.S., NATO Help to Fend off Russians

The U.S. Senate last month overwhelmingly voted for Montenegro’s accession into NATO. President Donald Trump signed off on this, writing in a letter to the Senate, “the inclusion of Montenegro in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will not have the effect of increasing the overall percentage share of the United States in the common budgets of NATO,” so it won’t affect how much the U.S. contributes monetarily to NATO, and it “does not detract from the ability of the United States to meet or to fund its military requirements outside the North Atlantic area.” Still, the Balkans is a volatile region, and it’s well-known that Montenegro does not bring substantial material benefit to the transatlantic alliance.

The Cipher Brief’s Kaitlin Lavinder spoke with Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who recently visited the Balkans and met with leaders there, about what Montenegro brings to NATO and the current state of affairs in the region.

Keep reading...Show less
Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member.

Related Articles

South Korea’s New President

OPINION — On June 3rd South Korea turned the page and is embarked on a journey of peace and prosperity. Lee Jae-Myung handily won the presidential [...] More

Report for Monday, June 16, 2025

7:38 AM America/New_York Monday, June 16 [...] More

The Houthi Balancing Act After Israel’s Attack on Iran

OPINION — How will the Houthis respond to the devastating Israeli strikes on Iran? This moment could prove decisive for both the Iran-led axis and [...] More

Dead Drop: June 13

SHOULD GREENLAND AND PANAMA BE (EVEN MORE) NERVOUS: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was engaged in a war of words this week with lawmakers during a [...] More
Report for Friday, June 13, 2025

Report for Friday, June 13, 2025

9:07 AM America/New_York Friday, June 13 [...] More