After a nine-month delay, Montenegrin lawmakers have approved the deployment of Montenegrin Armed Forces personnel to the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine).

Source: Radio Liberty, as reported by European Pravda

Details:The decision to join the EU mission was submitted to parliament nine months ago but only passed now, with 49 of 81 MPs voting in favour of it.

The resolution stated the deployment aims to "strengthen the capacity of Ukraine’s Armed Forces to defend the country’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, as well as to deter and respond to the current military offensives by the Russian Federation and other potential aggressors".

Opposition parties accused Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić, a known opponent of NATO and supporter of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, of delaying the vote. His party, part of the ruling coalition, opposes NATO membership and the sanctions Montenegro imposed on Russia following its aggression against Ukraine.

Montenegro joined NATO in 2017 under the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), which was ousted from power in 2020. DPS noted that "90% of today’s parliamentary majority did not vote for NATO accession", referring to the delay in approving the EU mission.

Defence Minister Dragan Krapović emphasised multiple times that the mission would not involve the deployment of Montenegrin troops to Ukrainian territory.

"I want this to be absolutely clear. I would never support that. All mission activities take place on EU territory, in Poland and Germany," Krapović stressed.

The EU mission is one of two so-called Ukrainian missions launched after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, in which Montenegro is expected to participate.

The second is organised by NATO. On 7 February this year, Montenegro’s Defence and Security Council adopted a draft decision to join NATO’s NSATU programme – security assistance and training for Ukraine.

Council members – President Jakov Milatović, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and Speaker Andrija Mandić – agreed that Montenegrin involvement in NSATU must be limited to NATO territory.

NATO will coordinate the training of Ukrainian security forces under this initiative.

The final decision on Montenegro’s participation in NSATU will be made by its parliament.

Background:The EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine was launched on 17 October 2022 with an initial two-year mandate. It is funded through the European Peace Facility. The mission’s mandate currently runs through November 2026.

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