Republic of Poland President Karol Nawrocki pleaded at the Bucharest 9 (B9) Summit on Wednesday for a strong allied presence in Europe as well as for 'credible' investment in defence.

He warmly welcomed the Nordic partners to the summit, mentioning that their engagement 'fundamentally' strengthens the security architecture of Northern and Eastern Europe.

'Together we are building a continuous zone of allied deterrence stretching from the Arctic to the Black Sea. This unity is our greatest strength. And it is precisely what Kremlin fears most. The security of Europe remains inseparable from the strength of the transatlantic bond, a robust and credible military presence of NATO's Eastern Flank, including the continued engagement of the United States and other allies is essential for the effective deterrence and the defence of our region,' the Polish President said.

Karol Nawrocki pointed out that the NATO Summit, which will take place in Ankara in about two months' time, must send a clear message about the unity of the Alliance.

'That summit must send an unmistakable message: NATO is united, NATO is ready, and NATO will defend every inch of allied territory. Credible deterrence also requires credible investment. Poland will allocate nearly 5 percent of GDP to Defence this year, making one of the largest contributions within the Alliance. We believe that greater burden sharing and increased defence spending across NATO are indispensable for our collective security. The Ankara Summit must therefore strengthen NATO's forward defence posture and demonstrate that the Alliance posses both the political will and the military capabilities necessary to deter aggression on every part of allied territory,' he said.

The Polish President underscored the importance of continuing political and strategic support for Ukraine. At the same time, he drew attention that Belarus 'which continues to support Russia's war effort and enables hostile hybrid activities to be launched from its territory against NATO allies and partners.'

The voice of the B9 Format must remain 'strong' within the Alliance, he also said.

'The nations present in this room understand perhaps better than anyone the cost of complacency, we know what happens when aggression is underestimated and when democratic nations hesitate. That is why the Bucharest 9 was created and that is why its voice must remain strong inside the Alliance,' he said underscoring that the Ankara Summit must be approached with strategic clarity and political courage, as Europe's security will not be only guaranteed by statements, but by power, preparedness, solidarity and determination, showing that Poland remains engaged in all of these four directions.

Karol Nawrocki stressed that the war initiated by Russia is not an insolated conflict, but a direct challenge to the entire Euro-Atlantic security order.

'The Kremlin seeks to restore spheres of influence, weaken NATO cohesion and undermine the sovereignty of democratic nations across our region. This is why the Bucharest 9 matters more today than at any point since its creation. Our region is no longer NATO's periphery. It is NATO's strategic centre of gravity. From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea and increasingly to the high north the security of Europe is being defended every day by the resolve, readiness and unity of our nations,' Poland's President highlighted. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Irinela Visan; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)