The operationalisation of the new BattleGroups remains a major priority for ensuring a credible, coherent and integrated allied posture, reads a joint statement of the Bucharest Nine (B9) Defence Ministers, who met in Brussels in the immediate aftermath of the NATO Defence Ministers’ meeting (12-13 October 2022), according to Agerpres.

According to the statement, the transatlantic bond remains indispensable for the consolidation of a credible deterrence and defense posture.

The meeting of Defence Ministers under the Bucharest 9 format, which was co-chaired by the Polish and Romanian ministers, had as guests the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III and the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

We shared our concerns regarding the current security situation and the implications of the recent escalating actions of the Russian Federation, the process of partial military mobilization and the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Ukrainian territories, and we condemned the massive bombings carried out by Russia, as was also emphasized in the Joint Declaration of the nine presidents of the Bucharest 9 format, also supported by North Macedonia and Montenegro, of October 11, 2022, reads the statement.

The signatories mention in context the B9 Summit in Bucharest and the NATO Summit in Madrid, highlighting that the B9 format has continued to actively support NATO and EU decisions, including those related to assistance to Ukraine.

The B9 states remain committed to providing political and practical support to Ukraine, in order to strengthen its defense capacity in the face of Russian aggression. We call on all NATO and EU member states, as well as like-minded partners, to maintain their constant contribution to this crucial and urgent effort, emphasizes the document of the B9 Defence Ministers.

They commit to continue implementing the decisions of the NATO Summit in Madrid regarding the strengthening of NATO’s deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, as well as its long-term adaptation.

We rely on the Allies to continue implementing their commitments and to contribute additional robust, highly operational forces on the Eastern Flank that can be scaled up from existing battlegroups to brigade-level, as needed, supported by credible and quickly deployable reinforcements, with pre-positioned equipment and consolidated command and control capability, the B9 Defence Ministers’ statement further mentions.

Agerpres