Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Romanian President Nicusor Dan presented a united front at the Cotroceni Palace on Tuesday, describing their countries as strategic partners bearing the heaviest burden of Europe's defense against Russia.
"Both Poland in the north and Romania in the south are fortresses on NATO's eastern flank. Today, Warsaw and Bucharest are among the most important centers of NATO's strategic responsibility on the eastern flank", Nawrocki said at a joint news conference.
The two leaders are set to co-chair a summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) — a regional defense format jointly founded by Poland and Romania in 2015 — on Wednesday, which Dan said would help align eastern flank allies ahead of NATO's annual summit in Ankara in July. Nordic leaders are also expected to attend.
Nawrocki called for greater cooperation between the two countries' defense industries, including simplified international procurement procedures, and highlighted the Three Seas Initiative and the B9 as the key formats for amplifying eastern flank positions within the alliance.
Both presidents also flagged the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in the Black Sea and Baltic Sea regions to Russian hybrid attacks, and said they would raise security issues with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
On Moldova, both leaders pledged sustained support for Chisinau's EU integration across military and institutional dimensions. "Poland will support all countries in Europe and around the world that are freeing themselves from dependence on the Russian Federation," Nawrocki said.
Asked about Vladimir Putin's recent claim that the war in Ukraine is "moving toward an end," both presidents expressed skepticism, pointing to assessments showing a deteriorating Russian battlefield position and a weakening economy. Nawrocki said that any peace must clearly identify the aggressor and the victim.
Dan, facing questions about Romania's ongoing government coalition collapse, said a favorable resolution was near and that there was no risk of Romania veering from its pro-Western, pro-European course.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US State Department officials are expected to attend Wednesday's B9 summit.
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Source: PAP