Romania’s President at the B9 Summit: “The Republic of Moldova should receive assistance to build its resilience”

Moldova deserves our attention and assistance to strengthen its resilience, stated Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at the Bucharest 9 (B9) Format Summit in Riga.

Iohannis emphasized the need to continue and increase support for Ukraine for as long as necessary. “Other vulnerable NATO partners, especially Moldova, should also receive our attention and assistance to strengthen their resilience,” he said.

The Romanian president noted that Russia continues to pose “the highest risk to European security” and urged NATO states to be prepared to act accordingly.

“Russia will continue to represent the highest security risk for our states and European security. We must prepare to act accordingly. As NATO allies on the eastern flank, we are on the front line of countering the negative effects of this devastating war,” Iohannis stated at the B9 Summit in Riga.

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He highlighted that the eastern flank states, members of this format, must be ready to act as dramatic regional developments demand increasing attention and coordination, adding value to the Alliance.

“We must strive for more solidarity, dialogue, and cooperation. These are and should remain the foundation of our collective strength and resilience. Through our shared vision and actions, the B9 Format has strengthened NATO’s defense posture in the Black Sea and Baltic Sea regions. We must continue on this path,” the Romanian president added.

Iohannis stressed the importance of enhancing regional and Euro-Atlantic security. “We should remain focused on improving security on NATO’s eastern flank, particularly in the Black Sea region. It will strengthen regional and Euro-Atlantic security for all 32 allies,” he emphasized.

The Romanian head of state also highlighted the presence of Sweden and Finland at the B9 Summit for the first time, following their recent accession to NATO, along with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The B9 Summit, a Romanian-Polish initiative, addresses security issues specific to NATO’s eastern flank, including allied states in the region. The summit was launched in Bucharest in 2015 by President Klaus Iohannis and President of Poland Andrzej Duda in response to the deteriorating security situation following the illegal annexation of Crimea.