Poland Says Next NATO Summit Should Invite Macedonia, Montenegro to Join

New Atlanticist
Jun 17, 2025

Are Albania and Montenegro on the fast track to EU membership?

By
Agon Maliqi

Albania and Montenegro are capitalizing on the European Union’s renewed momentum for enlargement as a result of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Elections
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Poland Says Next NATO Summit Should Invite Macedonia, Montenegro to Join

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

Poland Says Next NATO Summit Should Invite Macedonia, Montenegro to Join

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

Explore the #BalkansDebrief Series

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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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Content

Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak at Wroclaw Global Forum, June 12, 2015

NATOSource

Jun 12, 2015

Poland Says Next NATO Summit Should Invite Macedonia, Montenegro to Join

By Wiktor Szary, Reuters

The former Yugoslav republics of Macedonia and Montenegro should be invited to join NATO when it holds its next summit in Warsaw in 2016, Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said on Friday.

NATO Poland
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Feb. 24, 2014

NATOSource

May 21, 2015

Albania Threatens to Veto Macedonia’s NATO Bid

By AFP

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama threatened on Wednesday that his country would veto Macedonia’s NATO candidacy, arguing it did not respect the rights of its ethnic Albanian minority.

NATO Security & Defense

Event Recap

May 18, 2015

The Future of NATO’s Open-Door Policy

By Brent Scowcroft Center

In March, the Atlantic Council hosted a discussion with H.E. Milica Pejanović-Đurišić, Minister of Defense of Montenegro on the Future of NATO Open Door Policy with

Europe & Eurasia NATO

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
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Gorana Grgić

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Croatian Democratic Transitions

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Judy Ansley

Senior Advisor

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

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Dimitar Bechev

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

The Balkans Security & Defense

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Daniel Fried

Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative Eurasia Center

Eastern Europe Democratic Transitions

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Aleksandar Vratonjić Gligorijević

Chief Marketing Officer, TeleGroup

Millennium Leadership Program

Digital Currencies Europe & Eurasia

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Michael Groen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Defense Technologies
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