B9 Defense Ministers demand a NATO response to the illegal overflight of Russian drones

The Ministers of Defense from the member states of the Bucharest Format 9 (B9) request NATO to react robustly regarding the illegal overflight of the Eastern Flank of the alliance by Russian drones, said Angel Tîlvăr, the Minister of National Defense, after the meeting with his counterparts that took place yesterday at the Parliament Palace.

Angel Tîlvăr said: "The security situation in the Black Sea region remains worrying. We face an ever-evolving set of threats, driven primarily by Russia's aggressive actions. These threats also include hybrid tactics such as disinformation, cyber attacks and continued efforts to destabilize the Black Sea region and the entire Eastern Flank of NATO. The B9 states are deeply concerned about the repeated incursions of Russian Federation drones and missiles into NATO airspace, in Poland, Romania, Latvia, as well as the escalation of tensions along the alliance's borders. That is why a robust and coordinated response at the allied level is needed, as well as the implementation of NATO's rotational integrated air and missile defense model as soon as possible."

What was stated by the Minister of National Defense can also be found in the joint statement published at the end of yesterday's meeting, where point 6 states:

"We express our deep concern over the repeated incursions of NATO airspace in Poland, Romania, Latvia and other NATO countries by drones and missiles of the Russian Federation, as well as the escalation of tensions along NATO's borders. This is a new reality that cannot be ignored. We need a collective response within NATO to the challenges presented by modern weapons and technologies, including by increasing our capabilities to detect, identify and, if necessary, intercept low-flying objects. In addition, we must work to strengthen NATO's Global Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), including through the rapid implementation of the agreed IAMD rotation model. In addition, we support initiatives to use all opportunities and resources available within the EU and NATO to increase European air and missile defense capabilities. We reiterate the need for Russia to fully respect international law, including the inviolability of NATO airspace".

Launched at the initiative of Romania and Poland in 2015, "Bucharest 9" (B9) offers a platform for deepening the dialogue and cooperation between the allies on the Eastern flank of NATO - Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Republic Slovakia and Hungary, in order to articulate the specific contribution of these states to the ongoing processes at the level of the Alliance, based on the experience and expertise they possess and the common security interests, in full accordance with the principles of solidarity and indivisibility of the security of NATO member states.

On the agenda of yesterday's meeting, which was aimed at consolidating a common position in view of the meeting of defense ministers from NATO member states that will take place in Brussels, on October 17 and 18, there were also

the situation in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Regarding Ukraine, the B9 defense ministers agreed to continue supporting the Ukrainian armed forces with the resources needed for the frontline and supporting Euro-Atlantic integration efforts. As for the Republic of Moldova, the meeting participants decided that it should be supported to enter the European Union, as this would increase the security of the Black Sea region and Europe.

With regard to collective defense, which remains the essential goal of the Alliance, the B9 defense ministers also established the continuation of actions to boost infrastructure projects for the development of military mobility corridors aimed at ensuring the rapid deployment of allied forces and capabilities for the entire Eastern Flank.

The joint statement also mentions that the B9 Format states that are also members of NATO will continue efforts to strengthen the defense industry within the Alliance and identify innovative solutions, in accordance with the NATO Commitment to Expand Industrial Capability (NICE). The defense ministers of the B9 member states call on the rest of the Allies to prioritize the provision of the most critical capabilities, such as air and missile defense and decisive combat munitions, needed in the short term to execute NATO's defense plans, in line with the process of planning, which will provide a clear signal of demand to the allied defense industry through firm orders and contracts.