Romanian president Nicusor Dan has reassured Ukraine that it can count on continued support against Russian aggression from Bucharest in a warm first meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Leaders from the Bucharest 9 (B9) Format and Nordic countries met in Vilnius with NATO on Monday with Secretary General Mark Rutteto discuss the increasingly tense security environment in Ukraine. It was Dan’s first visit abroad since he won election on May 18 and relations were noticeably warm with Zelensky who thanked the Romanian leader for promise of ongoing support and invited him to visit Ukraine.
Romania is Ukraine’s key ally in the region and a strategic hub for transporting its grain and shipping weapons to neighbor now almost three 1/2 years into its war with Russia.
Dan reiterated Romania’s commitment to strengthening NATO at all levels and underscored the Alliance’s essential role in ensuring Euro-Atlantic security.
He assured Zelensky and NATO leaders of Romania’s position as a responsible and proactive ally on the Eastern Flank, particularly in the strategically vital Black Sea region. He committed to advocating for sustained multidimensional support for Ukraine, viewing it as an investment in Romania’s own security. He also emphasized the necessity of assisting the Republic of Moldova, which is confronted with complex risks and threats.
NATO leaders reaffirmed that Russia remains the most significant and direct threat to Euro-Atlantic security and emphasized the importance of NATO’s preparedness to strengthen its defense along the Eastern Flank.
They endorsed increased defense spending, enhanced defense industrial capabilities, and the development of critical infrastructure necessary for military mobility.
They also reiterated their commitment to Article 5, where if one member is attacked, the other members defend it. They expressed full support for Ukraine’s integration into NATO and pushed for intensified pressure on Russia through sanctions and the freezing of its assets over its crimes in Ukraine.
The B9 leaders rebuked Russia for its ongoing hybrid war against Europe and reaffirmed their solidarity with Moldova. Romania will host the next B9 summit n 2026.
the Bucharest Nine was established in 2015 in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its subsequent intervention in eastern Ukraine. Members are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.
Romania must step up to its role of pro-Western leader in the region
