US Secretary of State Holds Phone Talks with Foreign Ministers of Hungary and B9... Discusses Ukraine Situation

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] Amid concerns over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a phone call on the 3rd (local time) with foreign ministers of the 'Bucharest Nine (B9)' NATO member countries, including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Hungary.

According to the U.S. Department of State, during the call, Secretary Blinken discussed Russia's military buildup near the Ukraine border, the necessity of NATO's firm stance for collective security among allies, and related issues.

Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, stated, "Secretary Blinken emphasized the United States' commitment to using means such as deterrence, defense, and dialogue to ease tensions, and to maintaining close consultations with all Atlantic allies and partners."

The Bucharest Nine refers to nine Eastern European countries?Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia?that were under Soviet influence during the Cold War. These nine countries are currently NATO members, part of the U.S. and Europe's security alliance.

The phone call also addressed the issue of Lithuania, which has faced political and economic pressure from China after opening a representative office for Taiwan. Secretary Blinken and the foreign ministers of the respective countries emphasized solidarity with Lithuania.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.