Montenegro Joins the NATO Alliance

At a ceremony on Monday, June 5, Under Secretary Thomas Shannon will accept Montenegro’s instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. Montenegro’s Prime Minister Dusko Markovic will officially deposit the instrument at the ceremony, making Montenegro the twenty-ninth NATO Ally. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will also participate in the ceremony to welcome Montenegro as the Alliance’s newest member. On June 7, Montenegro’s flag will fly over NATO Headquarters for the first time.

As President Trump has said, the NATO Alliance has been the bulwark of international peace and security for nearly 70 years. This event represents the culmination of many years of effort on behalf of the government and people of Montenegro to join the Euro-Atlantic community of nations. Montenegro’s NATO membership will support greater integration, democratic reform, trade, security, and stability with all of its neighbors. Montenegro’s accession also reaffirms to other aspirants that NATO’s door remains open to those countries willing and able to make the reforms necessary to meet NATO’s high standards, and to accept the risks, responsibilities as well as benefits of membership.

The program will take place on June 5, at 12:00 in the State Department’s Treaty Room.

This event is pooled video and open to still photographers and written press. Journalists and still photographers will need to arrive at the 23rd Street entrance to the Department of State by 11:30 am.