Montenegrin forces to join NATO training mission for Ukraine

After nine months of “indecision,” Montenegro’s parliament on November 12 approved the participation of its armed forces in the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU).

According to Radio Slobodna Evropa, the vote saw 44 MPs in favour, five against, and two abstentions.

Under NSATU, Montenegrin troops will train Ukrainian servicemen on the territory of NATO member states. Montenegro’s Defence Minister Dragan Krapović noted that the decision to continue supporting Ukraine was made at the NATO summit in Washington last year.

NSATU, launched in December 2024 following the July 2024 NATO Washington Summit, serves as a dedicated NATO command headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, under U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue. Staffed by around 350 personnel from 31 NATO and partner nations (including Indo-Pacific contributors like Australia and New Zealand), it coordinates.

NSATU builds on prior U.S.-led efforts (e.g., Security Assistance Group-Ukraine) and integrates with the Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC), opened in February 2025.

Montenegro, a small NATO contributor with ~2,000 active troops, has ramped up support for Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, including €10M+ in humanitarian/military aid and training ~200 Ukrainian personnel to date. The delay in NSATU approval reflected domestic debates, with opposition figures like Danijel Živković (DPS) noting the ruling coalition's past NATO scepticism. Krapović, a former critic of NATO membership, affirmed the shift toward alliance values.

By Khagan Isayev