B9 Statement: Strengthening defense industry, joint air defense, support for Ukraine

The ministers of defense from the Bucharest 9 (B9) format signed, on Wednesday, in Bucharest, a joint Statement in which they emphasized the importance of strengthening the defense industry and the existence of a common air defense system and reiterated their support for Ukraine.The ministers from Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary met at the Palace of the Parliament and discussed including the incidents with Russian drones that fell on the territory of some NATO countries. Moreover, a point in the joint declaration is dedicated to this topic.''We express our profound concern over the repeated incursions of NATO airspace, in Poland, Romania, Latvia and other NATO countries by the Russian Federation's drones and missiles, and the escalations of tensions along NATO's borders. This is a new reality that cannot be left disregarded. We need a collective answer within NATO to challenges posed by modern weapons and technologies including through boosting our capabilities of detecting, identifying and, if necessary, engaging low and slow flying objects," the Statement reads.In this sense, the signatories call for the consolidation of NATO's integrated air defense system and for the "fastest possible" implementation of the system through rotation in this regard.''We support initiatives to utilize all available opportunities and resources within the EU and NATO to increase European air and missile defence capabilities. We reiterate the need for Russia's full compliance with international law, including the inviolability of NATO airspace,'' the Statement reads.At the same time, the B9 ministers are committed to supporting, at NATO, the consolidation of the Eastern Flank. They also mention the commitment to allocate at least 2% of the national GDP, annually, for defense and the commitment to boost the national armament production industries.The Statement also mentions the efforts to create corridors to facilitate military mobility, but also to ensure supplies for the energy system."Recognizing that military aid is granted voluntarily and is a sovereign decision [of a state], the allies intend to continue providing non-lethal, political, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine," the document states.The defense ministers who met in Bucharest also include the Republic of Moldova in the Statement."We will also cooperate closely to support our partners from the region, who are most exposed to Russia's attempts at destabilisation, such as the Republic of Moldova. Strengthening their defence capacity and resilience is relevant to the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic area,'' the joint Statement reads.