As POLITICO Europe writes, Montenegro’s Defense Minister Dragan Krapović and Albania’s Defense Minister Ermal Nuhi separately approached NATO. They are asking the alliance to send experts to help fight Russian information campaigns.
Krapović said that Russia is constantly carrying out campaigns aimed at the vulnerabilities of Montenegro and other Western Balkan societies. He also said that the country still lacks sufficient capabilities for equipment modernization, personnel and administrative support, as well as strategic communications.
Nuhi urged NATO to more actively seek ways to counter hostile actors online and to create protocols and response teams within the alliance for countries that need help. According to him, over the past year campaigns on social media have increased in Albania, fueling hatred and anger.
The request came amid both countries’ course toward EU membership: Montenegro expects to achieve this by 2028, and Albania — by the end of the decade. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for summer 2027 in Montenegro, while local elections are due to take place in May in Albania.
NATO first agreed to create rapid response groups for hybrid threats in 2018. According to former NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges Antonio Missiroli, such a group usually consists of about a dozen experts provided by member states; the alliance has already sent such teams to Montenegro in 2019, to Lithuania in 2021, and to Albania in 2022 after an Iranian cyberattack that knocked out government and civilian digital services.
As three anonymous NATO diplomats told POLITICO, allies would be ready to consider such assistance, although they warned that Albania should not use it for domestic political purposes. A NATO spokesperson added that the alliance can provide additional support upon request, and allies have strengthened preparedness, deterrence, and protection, including cyber defense.
According to a NATO poll seen by POLITICO, 95% of Albanians support remaining in the alliance. Among Montenegrins, 52% said the same — the lowest figure among NATO countries.
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