In a referendum on 21 May 2006, the people of Montenegro opted to leave the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. This result was confirmed with a declaration of independence by the Montenegrin parliament on 3 June 2006. It simultaneously requested international recognition and outlined foreign policy goals. Montenegro's primary foreign policy objectives were initially to join the United Nations (2006) and the military alliance NATO (2017). It has since been focused on multilateral trade as well as its efforts to join the European Union.

Russia gave official recognition on 11 June 2006, and was the first permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to do so. The European Council of Ministers recognized Montenegrin independence on 12 June, as did the United States. The United Kingdom extended recognition on 13 June. The last two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, France and the People's Republic of China recognised the government of Montenegro on 14 June.

Membership in international organizations Organization Application date Admission date Full Membership4 Dec 20095 June 2017NATO's Partnership for Peace30 August 200614 December 2006 International Criminal Court (ICC)23 October 2006 Council of Europe (CoE)6 June 200611 May 2007Southeast European Cooperation Process (SECP)11 May 2007Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC) Admission rejected by Greece because of the Cyprus disputeEuro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)1 March 2007World Trade Organization (WTO)10 December 200429 April 2012 (UN)5 June 200628 June 2006 World Health Organization (WHO)29 August 200614 September 2006 International Telecommunication Union (ITU)21 June 2006 Energy Community 1 January 2007 Organization for Security andCo-operation in Europe (OSCE) 5 June 200622 June 2006 International Labour Organization (ILO)18 July 2006 Universal Postal Union (UPU)26 July 2006Central European Initiative (CEI)2 August 2006Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe3 August 2006 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)aea.org4 June 200630 October 2006International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)27 July 200622 September 2006International Maritime Organization (IMO) 10 October 2006Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)16 October 2006Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)23 October 2006World Customs Organization (WCO)24 October 2006European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)25 October 2006International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)22 November 2006International Organization for Migration (IOM)28 November 2006World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)4 December 2006International Monetary Fund (IMF)18 July 200618 January 2007World Bank Group (IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA)3 August 200618 January 2007United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 25 May 2007World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)30 November 2007 International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)21 September 2006International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)16 February 2015 International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)3 June 2006Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI)June 2008European Civil Aviation ConferenceJune 2008 Eurocontrol1 July 2007 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)17 November 2007 European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E)Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF)1 July 2010Council of Bureaux (CoBx)2012Union for the Mediterranean13 July 2008Full European Union Membership15 December 2008 International Sports OrganizationsInternational Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)27 July 2006International Handball Federation (IHF)7 August 2006International Swimming Federation (FINA)21 August 2006International Tennis Federation (ITF)24 August 2006International Basketball Federation (FIBA)27 August 2006International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)23 October 2006 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)30 June 200626 January 2007World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)17 May 2007 International Football Federation (FIFA)30 June 200631 May 2007 International Archery Federation (FITA)5 July 2007 (IOC)6 July 2007 International Bowling Federation (FIQ)30 August 2007International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) On June 28, 2006, Montenegro was added to the American Radio Relay League's DXCC List as the 336th entry based on membership in the UN.

Diplomatic relations List of countries which Montenegro maintains diplomatic relations with: #CountryDate1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 — 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 — 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 — 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 — 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182

Bilateral relations Canada relations Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay wrote to Foreign Minister Miodrag Vlahović extending diplomatic recognition and agreeing to hold discussions on the establishment of diplomatic relations, which occurred later in 2007.

The Canadian Embassy in Belgrade is accredited to Montenegro.

China relations

The establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Montenegro was confirmed on 14 June 2006.

China transformed its consulate into an embassy in Podgorica on July 7, 2006. The Montenegrin embassy in China opened in Beijing on November 13, 2007.

In 2015, total trade between the two countries amounted to 160,385,964 euros.

Russia relations

Initially strong from 2006, relations slipped from 2010 as Montenegro has looked westward, with Montenegro joining international sanctions in 2014 following the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. The failed Russian military coup in October 2016 aiming to stop Montenegro seeking NATO membership was a turning point. Despite Russian investment into Montenegro, joining the EU became a key goal of Montenegro.

Russia continues to spy on Montenegro, GRU officer Igor Zaytsev is known to have travelled to Montenegro on numerous occasions up to 2018, bring in encryption equipment to give to existing or potential agents, including allegedly former Foreign Ministry spokesperson Radomir Sekulović.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 drove relationships down further, with five diplomats expelled in March/April 2022 then six more Russian diplomats being expelled from Montenegro for alleged spying, in September, with Russia then closing its consulate in Podgorica.

In August 2023 Montenegro refused to extradite Dmitry Senin, a former Russian FSB Colonel who had fled Russia in 2017 and had been granted asylum.

Turkey relations

United Kingdom relations

Montenegro established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 13 June 2006. Montenegro maintains an embassy in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to Montenegro through its embassy in Podgorica.

Both countries share common membership of the Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, NATO, OSCE, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Convention, and a Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement.

United States relations

The United States recognized the Republic of Montenegro on June 12, 2006, being among the first states to do so. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on August 15, and have since rapidly developed. On August 28, six U.S. Senators, John McCain (R-AZ), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mel Martinez (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Burr (R-NC) and John E. Sununu (R-NH), made an official visit to Montenegro. Their activities included a meeting with President Vujanović and with the speaker of the Montenegrin parliament.

Soon after the congressional visit, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid an official visit to Montenegro, seeking support for the war on terror and overall American geopolitical goals in Europe. Following the Secretary's meeting with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, it was announced that Montenegro had agreed in principle to aid the US efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, although no specific pledges of aid were made.

See also Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Foreign relations of Serbia and Montenegro List of Ambassadors from Montenegro List of Ambassadors to Montenegro List of diplomatic missions in Montenegro List of diplomatic missions of Montenegro Montenegro in intergovernmental organizations Montenegro–NATO relations Foreign relations of Yugoslavia

References

External links Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Embassies and consulates in and of Montenegro Embassy of the United States of America in Podgorica The Njegoskij Fund Network: Foreign Representations in Montenegro The Njegoskij Fund Network: Montenegrin Representations Abroad The Njegoskij Fund Network: Today's Montenegro: Diplomacy