Pence visits Montenegro, Albania too

The visit, said in the Montenegrin government's clarification statement, follows Markovi's recent meetings? With Pence and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington.

On the Pence agenda, there will be a meeting with President Filip Vujanovic, while Prime Minister Markovic prepares to be the host of a meeting with leaders of the Adriatic Charter countries at the same time.

The summit, confirmed in the statement, will take place on 2 August in Podgorica, and the US vice president will participate. It will be the most important international gathering ever held in this country, the government's announcement continues, explaining that the invitation to this event has been sent to leaders of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Macedonia, which create together with Montenegro's Adriatic Carten, as well as countries enjoying observer status -- Serbia, Kosovo and Slovenia.

For Podgorica, the Pence stop is seen as the next confirmation of its excellent political relationship with Washington, as well as strategic partnership between the two countries.

The invitation, the number two US administrations, went during official talks held at the White House on 5 June. Pence's first visit to the region of an official of this level, who is associate of President Donald Trump, comes a few months after the exposure of the coup plot in Montenegro, which is allegedly orchestrated by Russia, the TCH reports.

Just weeks ago, meanwhile, the country became a full-fledged NATO member. Such a move was seen as a strong coup given to Moscow's efforts to expand its influence in the Balkans, which has turned the region into the focus of the United States and the European Union.