Mariya Gabriel and the Foreign Ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia mark the 20th anniversary of their membership of NATO, underlining the key role of the alliance with a joint declaration
03 April 2024 News
With a joint declaration marking the 20th anniversary of the accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia to NATO, the foreign ministers of these countries have expressed important messages underlining the importance and prospects of their membership of the organisation.
"For us Bulgarians, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Romanians and Slovenians, NATO membership is a guarantee of stability and peace," said Mariya Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. "We are proud to be members of the world's most powerful and successful politico-military alliance, which continues to defend the democratic values and security of its members."
In the spirit of the upcoming summit in Washington, ministers expressed their readiness to strengthen and adapt the Alliance by supporting Ukraine's future membership and continuing to defend the interests and security of the Euro-Atlantic area.
"We stand ready to contribute to the strengthening and adaptation of the Alliance in the run-up to the Jubilee Summit in Washington; to continue to support Ukraine, whose future lies in NATO; to ensure that we take an important step towards Ukraine's accession to NATO; and to continue with the transformation of NATO and the defence of our democratic values," the foreign ministers wrote in the declaration.
The declaration also highlights the significant contribution of these countries to the strengthening of NATO in recent years, noting the importance of cooperation with allies in ensuring the security of the Alliance's Eastern flank.
Our countries remain committed to NATO's mission and pledge to continue to contribute to security and stability in the region and around the world.