Nato will take its latest major step towards enlargement – and further increase tension with Russia – when foreign ministers are expected to issue a formal invitation to Montenegro to join the alliance, Russia Today reported.

Moscow has repeatedly referred to Nato expansion as a “provocation”, and Western officials believe it has fueled anti-government protests in Montenegro in an attempt to derail the country’s membership bid. But its parliament has voted to join Nato and the government in Podgorica has carried out reforms of its Armed Forces and defense ministry to enhance its eligibility.

Nato’s 28 foreign ministers, who began a two-day meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, are due to issue the unanimous invitation on Wednesday. It is then likely to take between a year and 18 months for Montenegro to go through the process of joining, 17 years after it was bombed by Nato when it was part of Yugoslavia and involved in the conflict over Kosovo.

Sources: MENA