Romania, Poland and NATO’s eastern flank

Started nearly a month ago, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues. Several strategic cities are bombed and attacked, while people are fleeing the war-torn former Soviet republic. In this context, the presidents of Romania and Poland, Klaus Iohannis and Andrzej Duda, respectively, have highlighted the need to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. The two met in Bucharest on Tuesday, and agreed the two countries should step up their security cooperation. President Iohannis argues in favor of an enhanced military presence in Romania and in the Black Sea region, as a defensive response to Russia’s acts of aggression.

„We urgently need a consolidated, consistent and balanced military presence on the eastern flank, a forward presence, united and strengthened. The Alliance needs to boost its military presence in our country and in the Black Sea region. A clear and necessary step in this respect is the swift creation of a NATO battlegroup in Romania”.

The current developments require a new strategic concept, which should first and foremost factor in the changes generated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Polish president pointed out in turn. President Duda suggested a permanent defensive presence on the eastern flank, consolidated from the point of view of military, technology and infrastructure. These are the things needed right now, in response to Moscow’s actions, the Polish president added. The two officials also agreed on hosting in Bucharest a NATO B9 summit, two weeks ahead of the NATO Summit scheduled for July in Madrid. B9 is an initiative launched in 2015 by the Romanian and Polish presidents, involving the participation of 9 NATO member states on the Alliance’s eastern flank: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. The platform is instrumental to expanding dialogue and cooperation between regional allies, with a view to contributing to the ongoing NATO processes, in full compliance with the principles of solidarity and undividable security of all NATO member states. In Bucharest, presidents Iohannis and Duda also tackled the responsibility of the two EU member states in the region. On this occasion, Romania’s president reiterated our country’s firm support for the Republic of Moldova, for its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The impact of the conflict in Ukraine on Moldova is significant, and the country needs robust, coordinated, financial and logistic support from the EU and its member states, that should also cover its energy security, president Klaus Iohannis said. The two presidents expressed support for the EU integration process of the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. (Mihai Pelin, Radio Romania International)