Ahead of the meeting of the leaders of nine Central and Eastern European countries and Baltic states the NATO members released a joint statement saying they were "gravely concerned" with Russia's "aggressive posturing" and backed a sustainable NATO military presence in the region as well as considering expanding the 28-nation bloc to include other countries in the region, according to Ukraine Today.
"We will stand firm on the need for Russia to return to respect of international law as well as of its international obligations, responsibilities and commitments as a pre-condition for a NATO–Russia relationship based on trust and confidence," the leaders said in a joint declaration stated in Bucharest, Ukraine Today reports.
NATO’s next summit will take place on July 8-9, 2016 in Warsaw.
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