The summit of the Bucharest Nine, the key format of NATO's eastern flank, has begun in Bucharest. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to attend the meeting.
Summit in Bucharest: start and first meetings
How to. reports «European Truth» with reference to Digi24, The summit of the Bucharest Nine countries opened in the Romanian capital. This format brings together the countries of NATO's eastern flank, which play a key role in Europe's security.
Polish President was the first to arrive in Bucharest Karol Navrotskyi. The host of the meeting, the President of Romania Nikushor Dan, welcomed his Polish counterpart to the Kotroczeni Palace for bilateral talks. The two presidents will jointly chair the Bucharest Nine summit.
Expectations of participants and key guests
NATO Secretary General joins the summit Mark Rütte. In the evening, he met with Navrotsky and Dana for a working dinner to discuss strengthening the security of the Alliance's eastern flank.
The President of Ukraine is also expected to arrive Vladimir Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader was invited to the event during his visit to Bucharest in March. In addition, a separate meeting of Northern European leaders will take place during the summit.
«The Bucharest Nine brings together Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The format was created in 2015 to coordinate security policies and exchange experience between countries at the forefront of European defence.
Securing the eastern flank: challenges and answers
Recently, the question of protecting the EU's eastern borders and NATO has become particularly relevant. Romania is calling for a regrouping of forces to protect against Russian drone attacks, which poses additional challenges for all participating countries.
The meeting in Bucharest takes place against the backdrop of the constant threat from Russia and the need to strengthen defence cooperation. The summit will be a platform for discussing joint actions, coordinating military assistance and responding to new risks for the region.
Why it matters
«The Bucharest Nine is a key element of the collective security of Eastern Europe. Joint actions and coordination of leaders allow for a rapid response to new threats. The participation of the NATO Secretary General and the President of Ukraine underlines the strategic importance of the region for the entire Euro-Atlantic community.
