site.btaDefence Minister Zapryanov: Providing Necessary Aid to Ukraine Is Essential to Help Country Prevail in War

Urgent provision of the necessary assistance to Ukraine is essential to help the country prevail in this brutal war against its sovereignty, territorial integrity and population, said Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov at the beginning of a Bucharest-9 (B-9) defence ministerial in Bucharest, his ministry said on Wednesday.

The B9 countries discussed cases of Russian missiles and drones entering NATO airspace neighbouring Ukraine's. The forum was also attended by US representatives.

In his remarks at the meeting, Zapryanov adhered to the adopted national positions. The Minister stressed the importance of the timely implementation of all decisions taken at the NATO summit in Washington, including the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mechanism.

Zapryanov pointed out the key role of partnerships in enhancing stability and strengthening security, stressing the importance of strengthening political dialogue and practical cooperation with the most vulnerable partners - Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Defence Minister stressed the need to strengthen NATO's deterrence and defence capabilities and increase resilience against malign influence, including in regions of strategic importance - the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region. He briefed the participants on the actions and efforts undertaken to strengthen the Eastern flank of the Alliance and to implement regional plans.

Regarding addressing hybrid threats and actions, the Defence Minister drew attention to the need for making efforts to build resilience at the level of institutions and society, as well as the importance of proactive actions in the field. In this regard, he said that building capabilities to counter Russian hybrid actions with a focus on disinformation and conducting effective strategic communication with the public is a priority for the Ministry of Defence.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Minister held a regular bilateral political consultation with Romania’s Minister of National Defence, Angel Tilvar, which has been a long-standing practice of both countries. They discussed topics of mutual interest, including the security situation in the Black Sea region, assistance to Ukraine, the establishment of harmonized military mobility corridors in the Eastern Flank of the Alliance and the establishment of the Regional Special Operations Component Command (R-SOCC) Headquarters. The two ministers highly appreciated the bilateral military relations and provided guidance for their further deepening.