ForMin Aurescu to host consultations with B9 counterparts plus France, Ukraine

Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Thursday will host a round of consultations in a hybrid format on the worrying security situation in the vicinity of Ukraine and the Black Sea region to be attended by the B9 Format foreign ministers plus French Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, as well as Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, on an invitation from Aurescu, Agerpres reports.

According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE), the consultations will provide an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of assessments on security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood / Black Sea region with an impact on Euro-Atlantic security as a whole, of which Black Sea security is an integral part. At the same time, the meeting will discuss "measures to strengthen, in a uniform and coherent manner, the entire Eastern Flank from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, by strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture taking into account recent announcement by France that it wants to join the effort by increasing its military presence in Romania."

At Aurescu's initiative, the B9 format meeting with France will also include a session to be attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in solidarity with and support for Ukraine's security and stability, as well as for its sovereignty and integrity.

Aurescu also has political consultations scheduled for today with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, as part of Drian's visit to Bucharest.

"The visit of Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reconfirms the special friendly relationship between Romania and the French Republic, defined by a renewed strategic Partnership, as well as the special dynamics of the high-level bilateral dialogue, together with close co-operation and coordination within the European Union and NATO frameworks," according to the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Expected to be discussed at the bilateral meeting of Minister Bogdan Aurescu with the French counterpart are the latest developments in implementing the Romania - French Republic Roadmap, focusing on areas of shared interest, such as deepening economic co-operation, which is on an upswing trend after the difficult period generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the two dignitaries would look into the current state and prospects for projects and files of strategic interest on the bilateral agenda, including deepening co-operation and further strengthening the bilateral security dialogue.

Priorities for action at EU level will also be addressed, given that France is holding the six-month rotating Presidency of the EU Council during this semester, an important time for the future of the European Union and coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the Romania's EU membership.

Le Drian's visit to Bucharest includes his participation in a solemn sitting of the Romanian Parliament dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Romania's accession to the European Union.

*** The B9 format is an initiative launched in 2015 by President Klaus Iohannis and the President of the Poland, Andrzej Duda, with the participation of the 9 NATO member states on the eastern flank of NATO: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. The B9 format is said to be a very useful platform for deepening dialogue and co-operation among the allies on NATO's eastern flank, in order to articulate their specific contribution to the ongoing processes inside NATO, fully complying with the principles of solidarity and security indivisibility of all NATO member states.