Polish president Andrzej Duda, speaking in Bucharest in a joint press conference with Romanian peer Klaus Iohannis, argued that NATO should adapt its strategy to the security crisis generated by the Russian Federation invading Ukraine and occupying parts of the country.

"First of all, the new strategic conception of NATO, which is now being developed, must take into account these changes, which were naturally caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and this must be taken into account in the future," the Polish president said, according to Bursa.ro.

In his turn, Romanian president Iohannis announced that his country would host a meeting of the NATO members in the region, under the already established B9 (Bucharest 9) format, ahead of the Alliance's summit in July. The meeting, aimed at coordinating a unitary position of the Eastern Flank countries, will take place two weeks before the NATO summit scheduled for July in Spain.

President Iohannis also said he "agreed with president Duda that Romania and Poland should intensify their particularly substantial cooperation on security," Digi24 reported.

He argued that "we urgently need a consistent and balanced consolidation of the Eastern Flank, a united and strengthened Defence Forward Presence." Specifically, an increased allied military presence is needed in Romania and the Black Sea region as a strictly defensive response to Russia's aggression.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)