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Susan Collins Says Russia Had ‘Truly Provocative’ Reaction to Montenegro Joining NATO

Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she’s alarmed over Russian reaction to NATO’s newest member, a country with close military ties to Maine: Montenegro.

“The Maine National Guard has a longtime state partnership with Montenegro, and actually helped them get ready for ascension into NATO — something I’m very proud of,” she says.

The Balkan country, part of the former Yugoslavia, became the 29th member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on June 5.

Speaking at an Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Collins told Defense Secretary James Mattis that she’s concerned by Russian statements indicating possible “retaliation.”

“That’s truly provocative language and I just want to encourage you to keep sending the right signals to our NATO allies,” she says.

Currently, the 2018 budget calls for $4.8 billion and $9 million for the European Reassurance Initiative and the State Partnership Program, respectively.

Maine’s guard unit has been partnered with Montenegro since 2006.