Escobar did not comment on Antena M's question about the drop in NATO support and the American silence on Vučić's destabilization of neighbors; However, I agree that the malignant Russian influence is present in the country

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Given that the number of citizens who want Montenegro to leave the NATO alliance has increased by 12%, we were interested in the opinion of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar about this trend.
At the press conference after Escobar's meeting with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, journalist Antene M asked the following question:
After the data that the number of citizens who want Montenegro to leave NATO increased by 12%, will you finally reconsider the absurd policy you are leading in Montenegro and the Western Balkans, a policy that takes for granted the commitment to European integration, and is not interested in clericalization and the pernicious pro-Russian influence that Vučić's pawns spread unhindered in our country? And, in this connection, is Trump's son-in-law Kushner's business in Belgrade and Albania, with the support of your compromised colleague Grenel, the price of many years of tolerating the brutal interference of the regime in Belgrade in the internal affairs of its neighbors. First of all, Montenegro.
I would like Mr. Spajić to answer at least the first part of the question, with a request that you do not remind me of the data on 3/4 of EU support, because anyone serious knows that this is the attitude of the citizens of Montenegro to European money and not to Western values.
In response to our question, Escobar first emphasized that every country that joined the EU first joined NATO.
"It is not imperative, but it is certainly an advantage, because every country that first joined NATO, and then the European Union, is more prosperous and democratic," answered Escobar, avoiding to comment on the worrying data of the new NATO report for 2023.
Escobar avoided answering part of the question about the American policy of giving in to Vučić, Washington's silence on Belgrade's interference in the internal affairs of its neighbors and the expansion of Russian influence in the Western Balkans.
Escobar did not want to answer part of the question about Trump's son-in-law Kushner and his investments in Serbia and Albania, saying that he would not interfere in the investments of private individuals.
However, he clearly indicated that Russia's influence is very present in Montenegro, which is worrisome and should be fought against in challenging times.
Following Escobar's words, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić added that the Government's answer to all current events is exclusively Montenegro's membership in the EU and nothing else.
Speaking about the figures of the new NATO report, Spajić says:
"These are figures that refer to 2023. The government I lead could not have any influence on that data and these are things from the past. Not enough was done on NATO membership or EU integration, but I am convinced that our actions will The government will influence that the support for NATO membership is increasing, and I repeat, the only path for Montenegro is the path to the EU, full stop."