President Stubb in Bucharest: We must strengthen the unity of the Alliance

President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb attended the Bucharest Nine (B9) Summit in Bucharest, Romania, on Wednesday 13 May 2026.

The meeting was co-hosted by President Nicușor Dan of Romania and President Karol Nawrocki of Poland. The discussions focused on transatlantic security and the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara in July.

In his remarks, President Stubb stressed Ukraine's role as a security provider in Europe and Russia's long-term security threat for Europe. "At the Ankara Summit, we must look beyond the noise and strengthen the unity of the Alliance."

In the margins of the summit, President Stubb held bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Finland participated in the B9 Summit as a guest. Representatives of the other Nordic countries and the United States were also invited.

The Bucharest Nine (B9) format, also known as NATO's Eastern Flank, brings together Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The group was established by President Klaus Iohannis of Romania and President Andrzej Duda of Poland in 2015.

• Statement of the B9 and Nordic Allies Summit in Bucharest