SOCHI, May 20. /TASS/. NATO’s initiative to grant membership to Montenegro could further increase tensions on the continent, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

Russia treats negatively NATO’s further expansion, he said. "This process gives nothing from the viewpoint of European security, and on the contrary may result in further whipping up tensions on the continent."

NATO’s foreign ministers on Thursday signed in Brussels the Accession Protocol for Montenegro. Now Montenegro will have an observer status in the North Atlantic Council. After the ratification process is completed the country will become a full-fledged 29th member of the alliance. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the protocol ratification in 28 member states may last for about a year.