Klaus Iohannis participates in the B9 summit. The head of NATO, Jens Soltenberg, also participates in the meeting

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis will participate on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, at the Bucharest Format 9 (B9) Summit, which he will co-chair with the President of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Čaputová, and the President of the Polish Republic, Andrzej Duda.

Leaders from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary gather in Bratislava.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will also participate in the event.

The main themes of the meeting in Bratislava

Among the main topics of the meeting in Bratislava is the implementation of NATO decisions. Special attention will also be given to vulnerable partners in the region, such as the Republic of Moldova, which face increased security challenges

“The summit meeting of the states of the Bucharest Format 9 takes place approximately one month before the NATO Summit in Vilnius and will provide the opportunity for an in-depth exchange of views regarding the priorities on the allied agenda and major objectives, with an emphasis on strengthening NATO’s position deterrence and defense on the Eastern Flank, as well as intensifying cooperation with Ukraine.

The agenda of the discussions will aim to assess the progress made in the implementation of the allied decisions adopted at the NATO Summit in Madrid, including in terms of defense investment and spending commitments, as well as the support given to Ukraine in support of its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Special attention will also be given to vulnerable partners in the region, such as the Republic of Moldova, which are facing increased security challenges”, the press release issued by the Presidential Administration states.

The B9 organization was founded in 2015 at the initiative of the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, in response to the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. In the B9 format, heads of state, foreign ministers and defense ministers meet.

On July 11-12, in Vilnius, the next NATO summit will take place.