Keeping Europe’s Door Open: Montenegro’s Path Toward NATO Membership

Report
May 20, 2025

The European Union Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: A reality test for EU enlargement

By
Valbona Zeneli, Richard Grieveson, Isabelle Ioannides, Dimitar Bechev

EU enlargement faces a test case in the Western Balkans. The current plan offers real benefits before accession, creating incentives for reform, but questions of enforceability and the relatively low amount of financial support threaten the success of the EU’s political influence in the region.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

Keeping Europe’s Door Open: Montenegro’s Path Toward NATO Membership

New Atlanticist
Apr 23, 2025

What’s at stake for Bosnia and Herzegovina as Milorad Dodik faces a political reckoning?

By
Agon Maliqi

With his secessionist threats seemingly at a dead end, Milorad Dodik’s external backers might view him as more of a liability than an asset.

Corruption
Freedom and Prosperity

Keeping Europe’s Door Open: Montenegro’s Path Toward NATO Membership

New Atlanticist
Feb 4, 2025

Fearmongering from Western Balkan leaders is no longer working on their citizens—or the EU

By
Agon Maliqi

The European Union has ample leverage to press its concerns on reforms, Russia policy, and regional stability to Western Balkan countries.

European Union
Eurozone

Explore the #BalkansDebrief Series

#BalkansDebrief

The Atlantic Council Europe Center‘s #BalkansDebrief series features timely conversations on key issues impacting the Western Balkans. Nonresident senior fellow Ilva Tare hosts newsmakers, experts, and officials for discussions on rule of law, energy security, cultural heritage, Russian and Chinese influence in the region, and more.

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Event Recap

May 18, 2015

Keeping Europe’s Door Open: Montenegro’s Path Toward NATO Membership

By Brent Scowcroft Center

On March 11, 2015, the Atlantic Council hosted Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Igor Lukšić for a strategy session on the future of NATO enlargement and security dynamics in the Balkan region.

NATO Security & Defense

UkraineAlert

Apr 14, 2015

The Balkan Piece of the Putin Puzzle

By Stephen Blank

While the Russian threat to Poland and the Baltic States has sparked justified anxiety, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imperial adventure is just as much of a threat to the Balkans.  Moscow is putting on a full-court press—using energy exports, information warfare, trade, arms sales, and efforts to obtain military bases in Cyprus, Montenegro and Serbia—to […]

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

In the News

Mar 20, 2015

Brzezinski on Violent Extremism and Russian Aggression

By Ian Brzezinski

Voice of America quotes Scowcroft Center Senior Fellow Ian Brzezinski on the confluence of violent extremism and Russian aggression in the Balkans:

The Balkans

New Atlanticist

Nov 2, 2014

Ukraine, ISIS Wars Increase Europe’s Risks in the Western Balkans

By James Rupert

Albania’s Defense Minister: NATO, EU Should Focus on Dangers in Five Ex-Yugoslav States Europe’s peace is at risk from the wars in Ukraine, Syria and Iraq—and nowhere more than in the Balkans, where several states of the former Yugoslavia form the weakest spot in Europe’s security structures.

Europe & Eurasia European Union

Article

Oct 31, 2014

Albania’s Defense Minister Speaks on the Challenges to Security in the Western Balkans

Mrs. Mimi Kodheli Addresses Strategy Session at the Atlantic Council Albanian Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli spoke to an invited audience on October 28 at a policy strategy session hosted by the Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security. Here is the text of her address:

Eastern Europe Russia

UkraineAlert

Oct 16, 2014

Putin’s Balkan Gambit

By Damon Wilson

Buoyed by Successes in Europe’s East, Russia’s Leader Turns His Gaze to Serbia and Its Neighbors Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine aims to deny that nation a European future, partly by closing the door permanently to membership in NATO or the European Union. Putin’s aims, however, are not limited to extending a Russian […]

Russia The Balkans
Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic and Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, March 25, 2014

NATOSource

Jul 7, 2014

NATO Signals No New Members for the Present

By John-Thor Dahlburg, AP

Faced with a newly aggressive Russia, NATO has been mulling how to react, but it is ruling out one option: rapid expansion.

Intelligence NATO
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic, May 22, 2014

NATOSource

Jun 30, 2014

Extend NATO’s Umbrella to Montenegro and Macedonia

By Michael Haltzel, Washington Post

In reacting to Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine, President Obama has reassured exposed NATO members Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia of firm U.S. support

Greece NATO
Russian President Vladimir Putin, April 28, 2014

NATOSource

Jun 26, 2014

Why Expanding NATO would Deter Russia, Stabilize Europe

By Tomas Valasek and Damon Wilson, CNN GPS

At a time when NATO is facing a period of tensions and confrontation along its borders, does enlargement help or hurt the Alliance?

NATO NATO Partnerships

Event Recap

Apr 29, 2014

Consolidating Europe’s South

By Sarah Bedenbaugh

Toward a Europe Whole and Free Panel Explores Growth of Southern Europe After an eventful start to the two-day conference “Toward a Europe Whole and Free,” and immediately following keynote remarks by US Secretary of State John Kerry, the Atlantic Council held a moderated panel discussion on “Consolidating Europe’s South” with four ministers from the […]

European Union International Organizations
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Bailey Galicia

Project Assistant

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

Europe & Eurasia Extremism

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Leon Leskovec

Head of Cabinet for Karlo Ressler, Member of the European Parliament

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Agon Maliqi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Albanian Bosnian

Fellow

David H. Young

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Afghanistan Conflict

Fellow

Jeffrey Hovenier

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Croatian Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Jonathan Moore

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Bosnian Croatian
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