Siobhán O'Grady, "After being called ‘aggressive’ by Trump, Montenegro insists it’s a friend to America," Washington Post (July 20)
My main point below: Montegrenins are of course part of "Europe" and "pro-American," but Russian interests in their country have a long history.
(from an edited Facebook entry)
As someone who had the privilege to serve in the Balkans in the mid-90s as a US diplomat (of course, at a tragic time for that often suffering/tormented part of Europe), I had the opportunity to travel to Montenegro on quite frequent occasions to share plans/ideas on cultural/informational exchange programs with the Montenegrin director of the US cultural center in the capital, Podgorica (a dedicated, cultivated, energetic lady of elegance).
Thanks to her contacts, it was a pleasure (in USG interests) to meet over lunch/dinner with Montenegrin decision-makers (among them intellectuals) -- who were unfailingly hospitable, impeccably polite, and wonderful conversationalists who had a self-deprecating sense of humor.
The humor was noteworthy. One joke (if my memory serves me right) that a distinguished guest at our breaking-bread shared: "Why did the opposition lose again in Montenegro? Because it offered everybody jobs."
Still, despite the unforgettable Montenegrin hospitality to an American diplomat that I experienced decades ago, one must remember that a quite strong official/cultural/economic Russia-Montenegro relationship existed in the past (still exists now?)
This may explain the Russian government view (not officially stated?) that Montenegrins are "our" [my quotation marks] traditional allies Slavic/Orthodox brothers & sisters on the geopolitically crucial coast -- for Russia -- of the Mediterranean who have abandoned "us" [my quotation marks] for NATO.
And may explain why Mr. Trump, after meeting with Mr. Putin, called Montenegro "aggressive"?
Montenegro–Russia relations - Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
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