Romania Seeks to Increase US Troop Presence on Its Territory
Romania is seeking to increase the number of U.S. troops stationed on its territory and obtain more powerful strike capabilities amid Russian attacks in the Black Sea region.
President of Romania Nicușor Dan stated this in an interview with the Financial Times.
The head of state stressed that Romania is interested in expanding the U.S. military presence and strengthening its combat capabilities, as it faces the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine, including drones falling on its territory and attacks on vessels near its coast.
According to the Presidential Administration, 1,172 U.S. service members are currently stationed in the country, down from 1,700 previously.
To encourage the U.S. to maintain and expand its presence, Romania has proposed a cost-sharing mechanism to cover the expenses of maintaining the troops.
Nicușor Dan said he had presented specific cost-sharing proposals to the U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby during his visit to the region, using Poland’s initiative to pay $15,000 a year for each U.S. service member stationed at the proposed Fort Trump base as a model.
The Romanian president noted that his country is gradually increasing its defense budget, but a significant public finance deficit currently prevents it from matching Poland, whose military spending is already approaching 5% of GDP.
At the same time, Dan emphasized the strategic importance to the U.S. of the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base near the Black Sea coast and the Port of Constanța.
He recalled that this year Romania allowed U.S. forces to use the air base during the war against Iran, while other European countries denied the U.S. access to their infrastructure.
Former Chief of the Romanian Naval Forces and military analyst Sandu-Valentin Mateiu noted that the current U.S. personnel in the country are primarily responsible for operating the air base and the missile defense facility at Deveselu in the south of the country.
According to him, the key question remains whether the U.S. will agree to deploy full-fledged combat units in Romania.
The Romanian government also plans to invest around €4 billion in the development of the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base by 2040. The funds will be allocated to upgrading infrastructure and creating favourable conditions for the deployment of additional U.S. units or those of other NATO allies.
Source: Militaryni
