NATO’s eastern allies want increased naval, air presence
The nine member countries on NATO’s eastern flank want an ‘increased presence’ by the alliance in their region, Polish president Andrzej Duda said after a group meeting in Warsaw on 8 June.
The so-called ‘Bucharest Nine’ countries, which first held talks in Romania in 2015, also includes Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia.
The group believes it is necessary to supplement NATO’s current ground forces ‘with aerial and naval components’ to ‘achieve the full spectrum,’ Duda told reporters alongside his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis.
The B9 presidents adopted a joint statement in which they called on the US-led alliance to discuss the increased presence at next month’s NATO summit in Brussels.
They also requested that NATO deliver a response to what the West calls Russian ‘hybrid warfare’ techniques, which include military, financial and political manipulation backed by computer hacking and propaganda.
NATO beefed up its defences in central and eastern Europe in response to growing fears about Russia, following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
‘The 2018 NATO summit should further strengthen the Alliance’s unity and, in the spirit of the 360-degree approach, deliver a comprehensive response to the current security challenges, including against the hybrid threats the allies are confronted with,’ the B9 statement said.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Patria OPTIME and ILIAS: Orchestrating operational readiness across every domain]()
Patria OPTIME and ILIAS: Orchestrating operational readiness across every domain
Patria OPTIME is a sustainment concept that integrates MRO and lifecycle services into one solution, powered by the ILIAS digital defence platform
-
![US military seeks common controllers for drones and robotic systems]()
US military seeks common controllers for drones and robotic systems
US Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command initiatives signal demand for interoperable uncrewed systems control, creating opportunities for suppliers of hardware, software and integration services.
-
![“Communicating at mission speed”: why data security is essential for operational success]()
“Communicating at mission speed”: why data security is essential for operational success
In conversation… Everfox’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dave Wajsgras and Managing Director, International, Colin McKinty discuss the critical importance of information security in defence, minimising insider risk and the company’s international growth strategy with Shephard’s Andrew White.
-
![“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence]()
“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence
In Conversation… Shephard’s Andrew White talks to Zafer Şen, CEO and co-founder of OBSS, about the future of command-and-control software in the age of artificial intelligence, and his company’s ambitions in the UK defence market.
