The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is and will always be a strong alliance and we need a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO, the Alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday during a joint press conference with Romanian President Nicusor Dan and Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the end of the B9 Summit.

The head of the Alliance pointed out that the meeting that took place at the Cotroceni Palace is 'firmly anchored in NATO and in the transatlantic relationship'.

Regarding the Joint Statement signed by the participants in the B9 Summit, Rutte reiterated what was set out in the document, namely that 'Russia remains the most significant, long-term and direct threat to Allies' security'.

The NATO Secretary General said that in the discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the leaders present at the Summit debated what more can be done to support the country at war.

'A strong Ukraine today and a strong Ukraine for the future is how Russian aggression can be stopped. (...) Ukraine's security is also our security,' Mark Rutte said.

At the same time, he nuanced his message, stating that 'a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO means standing with the U.S.'

The NATO chief said that at his most recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, he sensed 'a disappointment' and referred to the need for certain allied states to contribute more to collective defense.

'We must address the security issue, which means defense spending, and the fact that for years there was no balance between U.S. spending and what Europe was doing. But we need to spend more, because we need capabilities. Last June, at the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting, we discussed what armaments we need to ensure ourselves a 360-degree defense against any adversary - including of course Russia, which is a special adversary - and against any threat from any direction,' Rutte said.

He explained that the 'NATO 3.0' concept, mentioned for the first time in the Bucharest Joint Statement, represents 'the next logical step' in the Alliance's evolution. It refers to a European pillar of NATO that assumes greater responsibility for its own conventional defense, allowing the United States to also focus on other regions.

'Of course, together with the U.S., we want to prevent a gap in defense investment. So while we strengthen ourselves, the U.S. can gradually turn to other priorities, which are also our priorities, but where the U.S. has a clear role. This is exactly what is happening, and I believe we must thank President Trump for the fact that defense spending has reached 2% of GDP, and that at the NATO Summit in The Hague [we agreed] to reach 5%,' Rutte added.

The NATO Secretary General also had a direct message for the United States: 'The Europeans have heard you, and they are acting accordingly (...). I am cautious, but optimistic about the NATO Summit in Ankara,' Mark Rutte said. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Ghita; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)