International security

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a news conference after the NATO Force Integration Unit inauguration in Vilnius, Lithuania, September 3, 2015. - Photo: REUTERS / Ints Kalnins

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the decisions on military exercises with Russia and the status of the Humanitarian Center in Nis were up to Serbia.

Sergey Shoigu

The growing NATO presence in the Baltic and Eastern Europe demonstrates "blatant unwillingness" of certain Western states to stop "pursuing an anti-Russian agenda" and forces Moscow to beef up its border defenses, according to Russia's defense minister.

A day after a Russian fighter allegedly flew within one metre of a US reconnaissance plane traveling over the Baltic Sea, Reuters reports that a NATO F-16 fighter jet returned the favor when it tried to improperly approach a plane carrying the Russian defense minister.

AP Photo/Virginia Mayo

NATO is celebrating Montenegro's accession for the third time in two weeks - a flag raising ceremony has been held today in Brussels.

A Pentagon report released on June 6 singled out Pakistan as a possible location for a future Chinese military base, as it forecast that Beijing would likely build more bases overseas after establishing a facility in the African nation of Djibouti.

After Montenegro formally joined NATO, the first official reaction has arrived from Russia.

Sputnik is reporting that Moscow intends to revise cooperation programs with Montenegro

Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Chairman Viktor Ozerov told the agency on Monday that the programs in question include those in the sphere of military and technical cooperation.

Zoran Zaev said on Tuesday that his government would be devoted to economic development, strengthening institutions and Euro-Atlantic integrations.

"Our goal is to start negotiations with the EU in the shortest possible time, as well as membership in NATO," the PM-designate said explaining the government's program to MPs in parliament, asking for their support, Beta reported.

Outgoing Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that tourists will be traveling to Greece through Serbia this year by highway, except in two sections.

Several NATO sources on Wednesday said that the strategic military alliance would join the US-led coalition against the self-proclaimed "Islamic State" (IS) armed group, according to Deutsche Welle.

Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic did not mince his words when Russia last month announced a ban on imports from the Balkan country's biggest winemaker.

"It is clear that the decision is in the context of [Montenegro's] NATO membership," he said, pointing out that Russian citizens had "lost an opportunity to consume the best wines."