The stakes of B9 explained by the interim Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu. “Reconstruction of Ukraine, a strategic opportunity for Romania's economy”
The interim minister of foreign affairs, Oana Țoiu, explained in an interview for “Adevărul” the stakes of the B9 summit hosted in Bucharest, in the context in which the states on the eastern flank of NATO are trying to coordinate their positions before the allied meeting in Ankara. In this context, Romania reaffirms its support for the European integration of the Republic of Moldova and for strengthening the relationship with Ukraine, both in terms of security and lasting peace, as well as through the development of joint economic and infrastructure projects.
Interim Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu. PHOTO: Facebook / Oana Țoiu
Bucharest becomes, for one day, the attraction of Euro-Atlantic diplomacy again, with the hosting of the B9 Summit (Bucuresti 9), scheduled for Wednesday, May 13. The Bucharest 9 format was launched in 2015 by Romania and Poland, as a reaction to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the outbreak of the Donbas conflict in eastern Ukraine. The group includes Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, states on the eastern flank of NATO and united by concerns related to regional security and the threat posed by Russia.
The summit takes place annually in one of the member states, and Romania hosts the meeting again after the edition organized in 2022. The leaders of the B9 states and the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland) participate in the meeting at the Cotroceni Palace, together with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenski. The United States is represented by Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno.
The meeting is led by the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, together with his Polish counterpart, Karol Nawrocki, the central theme of the summit being “Delivering More for Transatlantic Security”.
Wednesday's meeting is aimed at political and strategic coordination ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, considered one of the most important diplomatic moments of the year for the Alliance. The leaders of the nine countries on the eastern flank, along with representatives of the Nordic countries, are trying to harmonize their positions on key security issues, from strengthening collective defense to support for Ukraine.
Oana Țoiu: “Romanian companies have access to Ukrainian auctions and purchases”
For Romania, the host status also implies the role of facilitator of a regional consensus to influence NATO's agenda and decisions. The interim minister of foreign affairs, Oana Țoiu, explained, in this context, that the stake of the meeting is the definition of common priorities and the transmission of a message of unity at a time marked by security tensions in the extended Black Sea region and on the eastern flank of the Alliance.
“The B9 summit, which was initiated by Romania and Poland after the start of the war of aggression in Crimea, is still now the main place for dialogue and consultation between the countries on the eastern flank. We also have the Nordic countries present with us. We are talking about the coordination of the perspectives of the countries present through their leaders and in preparation for the NATO summit in Ankara. The simplest way to explain tomorrow's stake is to increase our common security, through the agreement between the leaders present at the Summit B9”said Oana Țoiu for Adevărul.
The B9 Summit in Cotroceni: Zelenski, Rutte and the main NATO leaders attend the meeting hosted by Nicușor Dan
The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is also expected in Bucharest, at a time when Chisinau's accession to the European Union is going through a sensitive stage. Romania has consistently been one of the most vocal supporters of the Republic of Moldova's accession to the EU, and Oana Țoiu wanted to reaffirm this position and explain why the fulfillment of this objective serves not only Chisinau, but the entire region.
“Romania's position is firm in the direction of Moldova's integration into the European Union, because this is the option in which we can currently increase living standards in the region, and security. Along with the elections in Hungary, the intensity of the negotiations regarding the unblocking of the clusters also increased”. explained Oana Țoiu.
The presence of Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the summit comes after the signing of the Romanian-Ukrainian strategic partnership, a document that marked a new stage in the relationship between the two countries.
“Our relationship as neighbors has also had complicated episodes in history. At the moment, the stake is sustainable peace in the region, but in order to get there, common economic objectives are being advanced in parallel. Companies from Romania have access to tenders and purchases from Ukraine, because we are also talking about a lot of reconstruction funds that go further in tenders to economic operators. For Romania, also important, especially after the meeting between the two presidents, is the speed with which we went forward on strategic connection projects: border crossing points, roads, trains. All these things are important not only now, but because a more connected region is a more attractive region, and this is also in Romania's interest.” Oana Țoiu pointed out.
Nicușor Dan: “States that think alike must collaborate”
Before the summit, President Nicușor Dan emphasized that Romania regards the Black Sea and the Western Balkans as areas of direct strategic interest, both for the country and for NATO. He explicitly linked the meeting in Bucharest to the NATO summit in Ankara, scheduled in two months, and spoke about investments in defense, interoperability and the strengthening of the transatlantic partnership as common objectives of this diplomatic moment.
“We are in a period of multiple challenges and here, in the face of these challenges, like-minded states must collaborate and that will happen. That is the objective of the talks tomorrow at the B9 format, that is the objective of the talks in Ankara at the NATO summit over two months ago. And I am optimistic that in each of these formats we will express solidarity and we will succeed in being effective in the objectives that we have set out. That means investment in defense, that means interoperability and that means a transatlantic partnership that is effective”, President Nicușor Dan said on Tuesday.
Referring to Romania's concrete role in the region, Dan listed the country's contributions on several levels, from NATO and European missions to the EU's eastward enlargement process.
“What is Romania doing? On a national level, it is consolidating, yes? And by consolidating, it increases security on the Black Sea, increases security on the eastern flank and in the Western Balkans. As you know, Romania participates in NATO missions and European missions. At the level of the European Union, it contributes to bringing both Moldova and Ukraine, as well as the countries of the Western Balkans, closer to the Union”, transmitted Nicușor Dan.
