Bucharest Nine

The article focuses on strengthening the military potential of the Bucharest Nine (B9) states in the context of the russia's war in Ukraine. The authors clarify the reasons and goals of the consolidation of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe for cooperation within the framework of the Bucharest format. Prerequisites for changes in defense spending within NATO are described, namely, the russian-Ukrainian war. The reaction of the North Atlantic Alliance to Russia's armed attack on Ukraine is studied, in particular after the full-scale russian invasion.

The article reveals the challenges for cooperation of the participating states in the Bucharest Nine initiatives in the conditions of the evolution of security threats on NATO’s eastern borders. The preconditions, purpose and goals of the Bucharest Nine have been highlighted. The group composition of B9 participants on a territorial basis has been considered, namely: the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), the Visegrad Four countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic), and the Black Sea countries (Bulgaria and Romania).