Podgorica, (MINA) – Deploying members of the Montenegrin Armed Forces (VCG) to the NATO Security Assistance Ukraine (NSATU) will contribute to strengthening the credibility and international reputation of Montenegro and improving the interoperability of the Montenegrin Armed Forces, said Defense Minister Dragan Krapovic.

The Parliament concluded on Monday the discussion on the proposal to deploy VCG members to this mission, and the MPs will decide on it later.

Explaining the proposal during the parliamentary session, Krapovic said that NSATU will have a command structure for planning, organizing and coordinating the provision of security assistance, with around 700 members from NATO member state and certain partner countries and will be located in Wiesbaden, Germany, with several more logistics hubs in Eastern Europe.

He recalled that the Defense and Security Council, at its session of 7 February, endorsed a proposal to deploy up to two VCG members to the NSATU mission, taking into account that the Parliament had approved Montenegro’s participation in a similar EU mission.

“The Defense and Security Council will determine the rules of engagement and national restrictions for VCG members during their participation in this activity. These restrictions mean that our soldiers do not have a mandate to leave the territory of NATO member states, in the specific case Germany”, said Krapovic.

DPS MP Ivan Vukovic said that deploying VCG members to NSATU would be a modest but very valuable contribution of Montenegro, and criticized the pace of decision-making, noting that nine months have passed since the proposal was endorsed by the Council.

Democratic People’s Party MP Vladislav Bojovic said that the party opposes sending VCG members to this mission, in which they would be part of the command structure that supports the Ukrainian army in the war with Russia.

He believes that it would be wiser for Montenegro to stay on the sidelines when it comes to any conflict.