The leaders of the Bucharest Nine (B9) and the Nordic Allies support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in accordance with international law and underpinned by robust and credible security guarantees, according to a joint statement signed by the leaders who attended the summit at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.

Hungary has signalled its constructive abstention.

'Hungary would like to signal its constructive abstention. As such, Hungary is not in the position to accept the current wording of the declaration as agreed language. As for the agreed language applicable in the future, the corresponding decision will be taken by the incoming Hungarian Government,' reads the statement.

Today's meeting, the leaders said, reflects their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation on security and defence across the entire NATO Eastern Flank, recognising the strategic continuum from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea and into the Nordic and Arctic regions, and their determination to deliver on NATO 3.0 by advancing a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.

'The transatlantic bond remains the backbone of our collective security.'

The statement also reflects the commitment to contributing to collective defence.

'United in the face of profound security threats and challenges, in particular the long-term threat posed by Russia, we are further scaling up our contributions to our collective defence. We are shouldering greater responsibilities through enhanced burden sharing and increased defence investments, as Allies work towards the 5% of GDP commitment. Significant progress has been achieved so far across the Alliance, with some Allies already at or beyond the defence investment target,' reads the document.

According to the signatories,' Russia is and will remain the most significant, long-term and direct threat to Allies' security.'

'In light of the threat environment, NATO must focus on the core task of collective defence, including through a robust forward defence posture. We remain committed to ensuring that NATO's defence plans are fully resourced, and to delivering on capability targets, military mobility and enablement, including the extension of NATO's fuel pipeline system to the Eastern Flank,' add the leaders.

The statement condemns 'Russia's highly confrontational actions against Allies and partners, including sabotage, cyber-attacks, and a wide range of hybrid attacks and destabilising activities.'

Repeated airspace violations on the Eastern Flank underscore 'the urgent need to continue strengthening NATO's air and missile defence, including against UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) threats.'

The signatories remain committed to protecting critical maritime infrastructure and to upholding freedom of navigation, in accordance with international law, including the law of the sea.

'We commend Baltic Sentry and Eastern Sentry, which enhance our posture, as well as Arctic Sentry, which is a stepping stone towards a stronger and persistent NATO presence in the Arctic.'

The document also points out that further scaling up the transatlantic defence industrial base, including through increased production capacity, more resilient supply chains, effective multinational procurement, sustained investment in research and innovation, and leveraging lessons learned through close cooperation with Ukraine, is essential to meeting today's security challenges.

It highlights the importance of EU initiatives such as Eastern Flank Watch, aimed at increasing the capacity to defend the EU's Eastern frontier, especially its most vulnerable segments.

'The B9 and Nordic Allies remain firm in condemning Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and reaffirm our support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We stand by our decisions on Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, as reflected in previous NATO Summits. We strongly reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine, as this support is also an investment in our own security, while recognizing Ukraine's growing contribution to wider security. We remain committed to meeting Ukraine's most urgent defence needs through all available means and instruments, including NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative.'

The signatories also welcome the ongoing peace efforts of the United States, together with Allies and partners.

'We commend Ukraine for its constructive engagement. Pressure on Russia to end its illegal war of aggression and engage meaningfully in peace negotiations must be increased,' they say.

The document also addresses the situation in the Middle East, with its signatories expressing full support for the Allies' efforts to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

'We will strive for more strategic, coherent and effective partnerships, deepening NATO-EU cooperation and strengthening engagement with key partners, including the Republic of Moldova. We stand united and ready to continue ensuring a more combat-capable, resilient and better prepared Alliance, ever ready to defend every inch of Allied territory. Delivering more for Euro-Atlantic security is our primary strategic objective,' the statement concludes. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Oana Ghita; EN - editing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)