NATO has formally invited the tiny Adriatic state of Montenegro to join the alliance, in its first expansion since 2009.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made the announcement Wednesday during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, calling it a “historic achievement” for the nation that was once part of Yugoslavia.

Having instituted a number of reforms to align itself with NATO requirements, Montenegro still has tasks to fulfill — most notably, a series of accession talks with NATO officials — before it can officially join.

Montenegro Deputy Prime Minister Igor Luksic, appearing at the NATO meeting in Brussels Wednesday, called the invitation “a great honor” and a “historical milestone” since Montenegro became an independent country nine years ago.

Luksic noted that the nation of only 650,000 still has reforms to work on and pledged that his country will continue to fight corruption and organized crime while building stronger public support for NATO membership.

He said Montenegro’s achievement is good news for the rest of the Balkan nations because “it means a strong boost for security and stability for the entire region.”

Russia has made clear its opposition to Montenegro’s joining up with Moscow’s Western rivals. The coastal nation is seen in Russia as both a vacation destination and good place for foreign investment.

Montenegro’s neighbors Croatia and Albania were admitted to NATO in 2009, leaving Serbia as the only Balkan nation not pursuing membership in the alliance.
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