Montenegro and Maine celebrate 20 years of military partnership

Montenegrin officials and representatives from the U.S. state of Maine gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the State Partnership Program (SPP) between the Montenegrin Armed Forces and the Maine National Guard.

During ceremonies held at Villa Gorica, Vice President Aleksa Bečić, Defense Minister Dragan Krapović, and Chief of the General Staff Miodrag Vuksanović met with Maine Governor Janet Mills and Maine National Guard Commander Major General Diane Dun. The discussions focused on advancing strategic partnerships, enhancing defense and security cooperation, and strengthening institutional ties built over the last two decades.

The anniversary coincides with the international mountain warfare exercise ‘Common Challenge 26’. Bečić emphasized that the partnership serves as a model for trust and knowledge exchange, noting that international cooperation is vital for combating organized crime and addressing modern security challenges.