Two major events recently took place in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. The first was the Bucharest Nine (B9) summit – a group comprising the Baltic states, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. At the same time, the Black Sea Defence, Aerospace and Security (BSDA) international trade fair was held, which ranks among the most significant in the region of Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, also attended both the summit and the BSDA exhibition. At both events, he highlighted the Slovak defense industry and emphasized its strength.

Defense investment, the unity of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the strengthening of NATO’s European flank. These are the conclusions from the recent plenary session of the B9 group’s top leaders. The B9 is a significant geopolitical grouping of countries on NATO’s eastern flank, whose role in the context of the conflict in Ukraine is becoming increasingly important. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini was also present at the B9 summit. In his speech, he stated that there remains a need to strengthen the defense capabilities of NATO’s European flank and to ensure a unified approach by the North Atlantic Alliance, both within NATO’s European flank and across the Alliance as a whole, in cooperation with the United States. This, of course, also requires greater investment in our own defense capabilities and capacities.

During the B9 summit, the Slovak president also briefed his counterparts on the current status of the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (OS SR). President Pellegrini noted that Slovakia is currently working on a new, revised long-term plan for building the OS SR, which will reflect a gradual increase in defense spending, as also envisaged by the NATO plan. In this context, Peter Pellegrini noted that the plan includes investments in both direct armament projects and dual-use projects.

The Slovak president also highlighted the development of the defense industry in Slovakia, which has increasingly contributed to economic growth and the country’s overall GDP in recent years. As Peter Pellegrini noted, thanks to investments in the defense industry, Slovakia has become one of Europe’s leading powers in the production of large-caliber ammunition. Over the past few years, the production of large-caliber ammunition in Slovakia has increased significantly, primarily due to investments by the CSG Group, specifically its Slovak subsidiary, MSM GROUP. The modernization of existing production facilities, the expansion of production capacity, and the construction of new production halls worth hundreds of millions of euros have literally placed Slovakia among the European leaders and key manufacturers of large-caliber ammunition across the continent. In addition, Slovakia is also a manufacturer of self-propelled wheeled howitzers, cargo and logistics vehicles, and light armored vehicles.

It was the light tactical armored vehicle that caught the Slovak president’s attention at the BSDA exhibition, which took place from May 13 to 15. Specifically, Peter Pellegrini was interested in the VLAH vehicle, which the Romanian company BlueSpace Technologies is developing in collaboration with the Slovak firm Zetor Engineering. It is the first light armored vehicle of its kind to be fully manufactured in Romania, where it will compete for the favor and interest of the local armed forces. As the Slovak president noted, the VLAH is proof that the Slovak defense industry is capable not only of manufacturing but also of developing high-quality military technology.

The VLAH light tactical armored vehicle is built on a 4x4 chassis with a maximum combat weight of over 9 tons. Development of this combat vehicle began in 2022, and it was officially unveiled to the public for the first time in 2025. According to available information, serial production of these vehicles is expected to begin this year, with BlueSpace Technologies capable of producing 200 or more vehicles annually. However, all of this is contingent upon successfully passing tests and receiving concrete orders from potential buyers.

In addition to supporting the domestic defense industry, Peter Pellegrini’s visit to Bucharest had another important dimension. Despite some voices from within the current Slovak government, President Peter Pellegrini confirmed that Slovakia wants to be a reliable partner within NATO that fulfills its commitments. That is why it is important to commend the Slovak president for his stance on strengthening the country’s defense capabilities, especially today, when Russia is attacking Ukraine in the immediate vicinity of Slovakia’s – and thus the Alliance’s – borders. Poland and Romania have faced similar situations, with Russian drones violating their airspace. This makes it all the more important for NATO’s eastern flank to share the same defense priorities, act as uniformly as possible, and jointly deter a potential aggressor from launching an attack.