Montenegro Rebuffs Trump Over 'Threat to US' Claim

After President Trump described Montenegro as a potential source of global conflict, the Montenegrin government said on Thursday that the country is proud of its friendship and alliance with the US, describing the relationship between the two countries as "strong and permanent".

"In today's world, it does not matter how big or small you are, but to what extent you cherish the values of freedom, solidarity and democracy," said an official statement adopted by Prime Minister Dusko Markovic at a government session.

The statement came a day after Trump said he was not happy with the NATO provision that requires the US to help defend other member states, including a "tiny country" like Montenegro.

Asked by Fox News why Americans should potentially be sent to defend Montenegro, the newest and smallest NATO country, Trump replied: "I understand what you're saying. I've asked the same question."

"You know, Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people… they might get aggressive, and congratulations, you're in World War Three," he added.

Article 5 of the Atlantic Treaty requires all members to help defend fellow member nations that have been attacked.

The only time Article 5 has been invoked so far was when NATO states joined the US military in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks.

Trump gave the interview to Fox News at the end of a European tour that saw him criticised for appearing to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin's insistence that Moscow did not interfere in the 2016 US elections.

As well as meeting Putin, he also attended the NATO summit in Brussels, where he pressed NATO member states to spend more of their annual budgets on defence.

The government in Podgorica also said that Montenegro is...

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