Calling the US President Joe Biden on Wednesday pledged the United States’ continued support, particularly with Russia’s war on Ukraine, as he called on Eastern European countries that make up Bucharest Nine the “frontline of our collective defense” against Russia.

Biden talked with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the Bucharest Nine leaders in Warsaw, Poland, as he concluded his three-day trip, which included a surprise visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

“You know better than anyone what’s at stake in this conflict, not just for Ukraine but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world,” Biden said Wednesday. “That’s what President Zelensky and I talked about when I was in Kyiv. The leaders around this table have repeatedly stepped up to confirm our shared commitment to all of these values.”

The Bucharest Nine is made up of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The countries formed an alliance a year after Russia forcibly annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Biden praised Stoltenberg, saying he has done an “incredible job” for a long time and that he relies on his judgment. The president assured Stoltenberg that the United States will help “defend every inch of NATO.”

Biden said Russia’s actions, representing the largest land invasion on European soil since World War II, have changed concerns on the continent and the United States will continue to be their partner in “changing things back.”

On Tuesday, Biden gave an unwavering sign of support for Ukraine and countries like Poland that have supported Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

CURRENTPH NEWS SERVICE