Acting NATO Deputy Secretary General Boris Ruge visited Montenegro on Friday (13 September 2024). In Podgorica he met with President Jakov Milatović, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Deputy Prime Minister Ervin Ibrahimović, and Defence Minister Dragan Krapović. Amb. Ruge also met with members of civil society.
The Acting Deputy Secretary General welcomed Montenegro's contributions to NATO's long-standing efforts in the Western Balkans. These include its role in the Defence Capacity Building package for Bosnia and Herzegovina; the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo; and the NATO Advisory and Liaison Team in Pristina. Amb. Ruge also highlighted the impact of disinformation and NATO´s ongoing efforts to counter it.
Amb. Ruge underscored that Montenegro's accession to NATO in 2017 has strengthened stability in the Western Balkans. This benefits not only the people of Montenegro but also the region and the entire Alliance, and has been a crucial step in moving the country towards full European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Boris Ruge was appointed Acting Deputy Secretary General on 10 September 2024, following the departure of Mircea Geoană.
