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NATO needs Montenegro, North Macedonia for containing Russia — Lavrov

The foreign minister believes that the role of Montenegro and North Macedonia in NATO was that of "backstage extras"

MOSCOW, June 6. /TASS/. NATO needs Montenegro, North Macedonia and other similar counties for containing Russia in Europe and for expanding the ‘anti-Russian stronghold’, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes.

"The situation has shown the real worth of Montenegro’s and North Macedonia’s membership of NATO, and why the alliance needs this sort of countries. It needs them for the sole purpose of punishing and containing Russia, expanding anti-Russian strongholds in Europe and creating threats and containment mechanisms," Lavrov told an online news conference devoted to the international agenda on Monday.

He believes that the role of Montenegro and North Macedonia in NATO is that of "backstage extras."

"Whose security have North Macedonia and Montenegro strengthened? In the meantime, as a tool of containing Russia, as backstage extras, they have coped with their role well enough," Lavrov said.

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