Volodymyr Zelensky invites Romanian president Nicușor Dan to Ukraine during B9 summit

The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, invited Romanian counterpart Nicușor Dan to Ukraine ahead a bilateral meeting during the Bucharest 9 Summit in Vilnius on Monday, June 2.

Zelensky made brief statements to the press upon arrival at the summit, saying that “Romania is very important” to Ukraine. He indicated that he will talk with Nicușor Dan about the bilateral relations between the two states.

"Today [e.n. Monday] I will have a meeting with the president of Romania. It is an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations — not only European matters, but also topics on the bilateral agenda. I have already invited the president of Romania to visit Ukraine. (...) Romania is very important," Zelensky said at the B9 Summit in Vilnius, as quoted by Euronews Romania.

The president of Romania is participating on Monday, June 2, in the B9 and Nordic Countries Summit, in the capital of the Republic of Lithuania, in his first external visit since officially taking office as president. The event is also attended by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, and representatives of NATO allies from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland.

The meeting in Vilnius aims to prepare for the NATO summit in The Hague, which will take place at the end of June and will represent an important moment for strengthening NATO and transatlantic unity.

“The discussions in Vilnius will focus on strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank, on increasing support for Ukraine, as well as on the need for European Allies to increase investments in defense,” according to a statement from the Presidential Administration of Romania issued before the meeting. Additionally, president Nicușor Dan will highlight the need to also support the Republic of Moldova, which is exposed to complex risks and threats.

According to Euronews Romania, one of the first conclusions of discussions held on Monday was that Romania will host the next Bucharest Nine (B9) summit in 2026. European leaders also agreed on the objective for allies to invest at least 5% of GDP in defense, in order to address the security threats and challenges posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.