“Europe’s security will not be guaranteed by declarations alone. It will be guaranteed by strength, readiness, solidarity and determination. Poland remains committed to all four elements,” said President Karol Nawrocki during the opening session of the Bucharest Nine Summit.
He stressed that when Poland and Romania launched the Bucharest Nine, they had warned about Russia. “We warned that imperial thinking had returned to Europe. We warned that deterrence cannot exist only on paper. Today, no one can say they were not warned,” he said.
“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not an isolated conflict. It constitutes a direct challenge to the entire Euro-Atlantic security order. The Kremlin seeks to restore spheres of influence, weaken the cohesion of NATO and undermine the sovereignty of democratic states in our region. That is precisely why the Bucharest Nine is more important today than at any time since its creation,” he stressed.
As he noted, “our region is no longer NATO’s periphery,” but “its strategic center of gravity.”
“From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, and increasingly in the far north, Europe’s security is defended every day by the determination, readiness and unity of our nations,” he said, highlighting the importance of the presence of representatives of the Nordic countries at the meeting.
“Europe’s security remains inseparably linked to the strength of the transatlantic bond. A strong and credible allied military presence on NATO’s eastern flank, including the continued engagement of the United States and other allies, is essential for effective deterrence and defense of our region,” he said.
He recalled that in less than two months, a NATO summit will take place in Ankara. “This summit must send a clear message: NATO is ready and NATO will defend every inch of allied territory,” he declared.
The President also pointed to the importance of increasing defense spending and stressed that Poland will allocate nearly 5 percent of its GDP to this purpose this year. He also assessed that it is still necessary to support – “politically and strategically” – the victim of Russian aggression, Ukraine, and indicated that close attention should also be paid to Belarus, which is assisting Russia.
“We know what happens when aggression is underestimated and democratic states hesitate. That is why the B9 Group was created and why our voice must remain strong within the alliance,” he stated.
He also reiterated that “Europe’s security will not be guaranteed by declarations alone.”
“It will be guaranteed by strength, readiness, solidarity and determination. Poland remains committed to all four elements,” he concluded.