Readout of President Biden's Call with the Leaders of The Bucharest Nine Eastern Flank NATO Allies

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with the Bucharest Nine (B9) group of our eastern flank NATO Allies to underscore the United States' commitment to Transatlantic security and our sacred commitment to NATO's Article 5. The leaders discussed Russia's destabilizing military buildup along Ukraine's border and the need for a united, ready, and resolute NATO stance for the collective defense of Allies. President Biden stressed the U.S. commitment to continued close consultation and coordination with all our Transatlantic Allies and partners as we work towards de-escalation of the current crisis through deterrence, defense, and dialogue.

Joining the call were the following leaders:

• Bulgarian President Rumen Radev
• Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis
• Estonian President Alar Karis
• Hungarian President Janos Ader
• Latvian President Egils Levits
• Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda
• Polish President Andrzej Duda
• Romanian President Klaus Iohannis
• Slovakia Prime Minister Eduard Heger