Leaders of NATO's eastern flank point to importance of strengthening air defense against Russian actions

Repeated Russian violations of airspace in countries on NATO's eastern flank underscore the urgent need to consolidate the alliance's air defenses against missiles and drones, the leaders of 14 countries said in a joint statement after the alliance's summit in Bucharest.

They also called for greater cooperation in increasing defense industry capacity in a joint statement issued after the B9 summit of the nine countries on NATO's eastern flank in Bucharest, hosted by Romanian President Nicusor Dan and Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

The statement was also signed by the Nordic members of NATO - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

"We condemn highly confrontational Russian actions against allies and partners, including sabotage, cyberattacks, and a wide range of hybrid attacks and destabilizing activities," the leaders said in a joint statement.

"The repeated airspace violations on the eastern flank underscore the urgent need to continue strengthening NATO's air and missile defenses, including against threats from unmanned aerial vehicles," the statement said, according to Reuters.

Russian drones have repeatedly violated the airspace of Romania, Poland and the Baltic states. Russia has denied targeting NATO countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and US Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNano also participated in today's one-day gathering.

The meeting, which is taking place ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara in July, aims to find ways to narrow the widening gap between US President Donald Trump and Europe over the Iran crisis.

"Further strengthening the transatlantic industrial base, including through increased manufacturing capacity, more resilient supply chains, efficient multinational procurement... is essential to meet today's security challenges," the joint statement reads.

The statement was signed by the so-called B9 group, which includes nine Central and Eastern European NATO allies, which was launched in Bucharest when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. They are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. It was also signed by four Nordic NATO members.

Zelensky said at the rally that it is difficult to say what the results of the NATO summit in Ankara might be, but that it should send positive signals to the entire Euro-Atlantic community.

"At the same time, we should not be afraid to talk about more unified European military capabilities and those that are more self-reliant in some areas," Zelensky said.

Ukraine is not a NATO member, but has received significant military and financial assistance from the 32-member Alliance as it tries to deter a Russian invasion that began in February 2022.