Konjević attends informal working dinner of North Atlantic Coucil at the level of Defence Ministers

NATO defence ministers agree that the war in Ukraine has drastically changed Europe's security image and warned the Euro-Atlantic community of the security threat to other partners and regions, including the Western Balkans.

At an informal working dinner of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Ministers of Defence hosted by Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Spain Margarita Robles Fernández, they stated that NATO should take a proactive role and provide concrete support in strengthening the capacity of partners in this region, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose minister also attended the dinner.

Addressing the event, which focused on the Western Balkans region in the context of the spread of hybrid threats following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Raško Konjević shared concern over Russia's growing presence in the region.

The Western Balkans is a traditional sphere of interest for Russia. The intensity of hybrid threats in the region has increased, mostly through the spread of misinformation and cyber activities, against which we can defend ourselves only with the strong support of the Euro-Atlantic community, Konjević said.

He reiterated that concrete cooperation between NATO and the EU is of great importance in that context, adding that Montenegro remains fully committed to its European integration, a path he sees as the only guarantor of security and prosperity for the entire region. The Minister added that this would also narrow the space for malignant influence of third countries in the Western Balkans.