Macedonia Signs Accord to Join NATO Despite Russian Concerns – Reuters

By Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS – NATO members have signed an agreement with Macedonia, allowing the small former Yugoslav republic to become the 30th member of the U.S.-led alliance, following a dispute with Greece over its name that lasted 27 years.

During the formal signing of the NATO accession protocol, which still requires ratification by allied governments, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov expressed that this moment signifies the country’s commitment to its new alliance. He stated, “We stand beside these 29 allies… able and ready to assume the obligations arising from our full membership in NATO,” following the signing by NATO ambassadors.

The ratification process usually takes around a year, with expectations from the United States that Macedonia—now officially known as North Macedonia due to its agreement with Greece—will officially join the alliance in 2020.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized that the inclusion of a new member demonstrates that all European nations meeting the necessary criteria can join the alliance, a stance that Moscow opposes. He remarked, “It shows that NATO’s door remains open for countries that meet NATO standards and that adhere to the NATO values of democracy, the rule of law, and individual liberty.”

Russia contends that expanding NATO to include Balkan nations undermines security in the region. In response, Dimitrov argued that Macedonia’s decision would bolster regional stability, aligning with the perspective of Western nations that view NATO and EU membership as vital for maintaining peace in the Balkans following the turbulent breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. “For us, NATO is about making the world more peaceful, more stable,” he noted.

Three other former Yugoslav republics—Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro—are already NATO members, alongside other Balkan nations such as Albania, Bulgaria, and Romania. Both Greece and Macedonia’s parliaments have approved the country’s new designation as the Republic of North Macedonia, which ended Greece’s long-standing veto against its neighbor’s NATO and EU aspirations. Greece has historically viewed the use of “Macedonia” as a potential claim to a region within Greece bearing the same name.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also cautioned NATO against strengthening ties with Ukraine and Georgia, two former Soviet republics that aspire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is based in Brussels.

After the signing ceremony, Stoltenberg commended Georgia, expressing encouragement regarding their ongoing reforms and commitment to enhancing defense and security institutions, as well as transparency and judiciary reforms.