Balkan is in arms race; Neighbours, beware!

Like its neighbors, it increases its military budget and increasingly sends troops on missions around the world.
According to Donald Trump's famous "America First" saying, during a recent visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Montenegro, they struck a deal on buying 67 armored vehicles from the US, costing $ 36 million.
It is the first acquisition of such vehicles for the Montenegrin army in 40 years. These are the successors of the popular hammers made by the US company "Oshkosh". The first contingent arrives next year and Montenegro will be the first in Europe to have them in its military forces, and will buy them from a loan.
"These light armored patrol vehicles represent a significant step forward in the modernization of the Montenegrin Army. With them, our ground forces will achieve the necessary deployment, maneuverability, mobility and protection capabilities, and thus the required level of compatibility with Allied countries in NATO and partner countries", the Ministry of Defense of Montenegro said to DW.
This is the second major military acquisition since Montenegro's accession to NATO. Last year, three helicopters arrived that were purchased from Canada for $ 30 million. Needless to say, these acquisitions were previously unimaginable to the Montenegrin army, whose perception in the good part of the public was that it was numerically small and poorly equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The Ministry of Defense says that thanks to these helicopters, they have enhanced capabilities for transporting troops, air support for units, medical evacuation and search and rescue, as well as for assisting the population in the event of natural disasters.

The arms race in the Balkans

Since joining NATO,...