Kenneth Morrison is Professor of Modern Southeast European History and the Director of the Institute of Humanities and Political Studies at De Montfort University, Leicester. He is the author or co-author of several books focusing on the modern history of the Western Balkans, including Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo (2021), Nationalism, Identity and Statehood in Post-Yugoslav Montenegro (2018), Sarajevo’s Holiday Inn: On the Frontline of Politics and War (2016) and The Sandžak: A History (2013). Vesko Garcevic is Professor of the Practice of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, USA. He is the former Montenegrin Ambassador to NATO in Brussels and to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Vienna. He authored several papers about Russian and Chinese influence as well as the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Western Balkans. He testified before the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the European Parliament on Russia’s interference in the Western Balkans.

Morrison and Garcevic reconstruct Montenegro’s slow but determined separation from Serbia in great detail, based on extensive, meticulously documented research … enriching our understanding of Balkan politics and international relations, and offering fascinating insights into the interplay of domestic politics, foreign policy and international relations in these two countries.

• Introduction1. The heart of the matter2. The path to independence3. Kosovo and recognition4. Euro-Atlantic integration5. Russia and foreign policy divergence6. China: Belt, road and debt7. The Serbian Orthodox ChurchConclusion: Towards realignment?NotesBibliographyIndex

Kenneth Morrison is Professor of Modern Southeast European History and the Director of the Institute of Humanities and Political Studies at De Montfort University, Leicester. He is the author or co-author of several books focusing on the modern history of the Western Balkans, including Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo (2021), Nationalism, Identity and Statehood in Post-Yugoslav Montenegro (2018), Sarajevo’s Holiday Inn: On the Frontline of Politics and War (2016) and The Sandžak: A History (2013). Vesko Garcevic is Professor of the Practice of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, USA. He is the former Montenegrin Ambassador to NATO in Brussels and to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Vienna. He authored several papers about Russian and Chinese influence as well as the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Western Balkans. He testified before the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the European Parliament on Russia’s interference in the Western Balkans.

Morrison and Garcevic reconstruct Montenegro’s slow but determined separation from Serbia in great detail, based on extensive, meticulously documented research … enriching our understanding of Balkan politics and international relations, and offering fascinating insights into the interplay of domestic politics, foreign policy and international relations in these two countries.

• Introduction1. The heart of the matter2. The path to independence3. Kosovo and recognition4. Euro-Atlantic integration5. Russia and foreign policy divergence6. China: Belt, road and debt7. The Serbian Orthodox ChurchConclusion: Towards realignment?NotesBibliographyIndex

Kenneth Morrison is Professor of Modern Southeast European History and the Director of the Institute of Humanities and Political Studies at De Montfort University, Leicester. He is the author or co-author of several books focusing on the modern history of the Western Balkans, including Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo (2021), Nationalism, Identity and Statehood in Post-Yugoslav Montenegro (2018), Sarajevo’s Holiday Inn: On the Frontline of Politics and War (2016) and The Sandžak: A History (2013). Vesko Garcevic is Professor of the Practice of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, USA. He is the former Montenegrin Ambassador to NATO in Brussels and to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Vienna. He authored several papers about Russian and Chinese influence as well as the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Western Balkans. He testified before the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the European Parliament on Russia’s interference in the Western Balkans.

Morrison and Garcevic reconstruct Montenegro’s slow but determined separation from Serbia in great detail, based on extensive, meticulously documented research … enriching our understanding of Balkan politics and international relations, and offering fascinating insights into the interplay of domestic politics, foreign policy and international relations in these two countries.

• Introduction1. The heart of the matter2. The path to independence3. Kosovo and recognition4. Euro-Atlantic integration5. Russia and foreign policy divergence6. China: Belt, road and debt7. The Serbian Orthodox ChurchConclusion: Towards realignment?NotesBibliographyIndex