The security consultations in Vilnius were the "region’s contribution" to strengthening the Western military alliance and bolstering “the transatlantic partnership,” Poland’s top diplomat Jacek Czaputowicz said after the meeting.
The meeting on Tuesday aimed “to encourage mutual understanding” and respond to “security challenges faced by the Eastern flank countries, especially in the context of Russia’s aggressive activities,” Czaputowicz was quoted as saying.
He added that “Central and Eastern European states need to cooperate closely” and that B9 countries “should continue to support Ukraine and Georgia in their Euro-Atlantic aspirations in order to expand the zone of stability and security towards the East.”
The gathering in the Lithuanian capital brought together foreign ministers from nations referred to as the Bucharest Nine (B9) group: Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Romania and Slovakia, according to the Polish foreign ministry.
The meeting was also attended by US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker and NATO Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Turner, the Polish foreign ministry said on its website.
It added that the Bucharest Nine is a Polish-Romanian initiative launched in 2015 that aims to help exchange views and coordinate positions on the security of NATO’s eastern-flank countries.
(gs/pk)
Source: gov.pl