Montenegro's bid to join NATO faces US Senate test
WASHINGTON -- Montenegro is on the verge of becoming NATO's newest member.
Ratification of the tiny Balkan nation's admission into the alliance is expected to clear a procedural hurdle in the Senate on Monday, setting the stage for a final vote later this week.
Montenegro is in the middle of a clash between the West and Russia over influence in the Balkans. The outcome could determine the way the region is heading: toward NATO and the European Union, or back to Russia's sphere of influence.
