HomeNewsNATO Eastern Flank Countries Demand More US Military Presence
The Bucharest Nine States want to increase their defense capabilities. The countries also want to continue supporting Ukraine.
US Army Soldiers. Alexandru Dobre/AP
The countries on NATO’s eastern flank are demanding an increased US military presence in their region. „We must work to increase the US presence in our region on the eastern flank in terms of troops and equipment,“ Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said after talks with his counterparts from the so-called Bucharest Nine (B9) in Lodz, Poland.
The ministers of the NATO states of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia reiterated their call to promote defense capabilities in the region bordering Ukraine. „If we have a strong defense, then we are able to provide a strong deterrent to Russia’s destabilizing and aggressive behavior,“ Aurescu said. „It’s the only language that Russia understands.“
Among other things, the Romanian politician called for „more air defense, more anti-missile capacities in our areas“. In addition, there must be more means of surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence.
Ukraine war: NATO’s eastern flank for courageous actions
The eastern flank countries also pledged to continue to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion. „The B9 countries are leaders here, even when it comes to mobilizing for more courageous actions, as was the case with the handover of MiG fighter jets or tanks,“ said Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.
Aurescu also announced the support of the B9 countries for Ukraine joining NATO. The priority now is to support Ukraine so that it wins the war, he continued. „The next month, the next period will be decisive for the fate of the war in Ukraine.“