Nicușor Dan outlines Romanian defense spending and US alliance in Fox News op-ed

Romanian appeal to Washington

Romanian President Nicușor Dan addressed the American public and political leadership in an opinion piece published on the Fox News website on 27 August 2026. Framing Romania as one of Washington's most reliable allies, Dan focused on burden-sharing, European defense responsibilities, and frontline readiness along the Black Sea. The op-ed presented Romania's defense commitments directly to American voters and policymakers while engaging concerns raised by Donald Trump regarding European military spending. Dan stated that the United States has every right to expect European nations to bear a larger portion of their defense costs. To reinforce this position, he made a clear commitment regarding Romania's willingness to expand its role.

Romania does not ask America for more. Romania offers to do more.

Frontline security at the Black Sea

Dan emphasized that the security threat posed by Russia is an active reality for Romania rather than a theoretical scenario. Romanian airspace has been violated by Russian drones dozens of times in recent months, resulting in debris falling directly onto Romanian territory. Dan cited reports indicating that US intelligence services assess Russia could test NATO resolve through limited actions against an allied border nation. He noted that the country has watched the conflict develop along its borders for years, experiencing the risks firsthand. Dan argued that allied deterrence is always tested first at the perimeter of the treaty area before reaching the core of the alliance.

For Romania, none of this is abstract. We are located on NATO's south-eastern flank, on the Black Sea, and we share the longest border with Ukraine of all allies.

Strategic partnership and US hardware acquisitions

The opinion piece noted that Romania was among the earliest allies to offer rapid, public access and assistance during the US military operation Epic Fury. Dan recently sent Romania's national security adviser and the chief of the defence staff to Washington and NATO headquarters to continue discussions regarding Black Sea security and shared responsibilities. The modernization of the Romanian Armed Forces is centered on US equipment, including Patriot air defense systems, HIMARS artillery, F-16 fighter aircraft, and Abrams main battle tanks. Romania has contracted 32 F-35A multirole fighters in a 6.5 billion dollar first-phase agreement, with initial aircraft deliveries scheduled for 2030 to 2031. The F-35 procurement package includes engines, munitions, personnel training, and comprehensive logistical support. Dan described these acquisitions not as a simple shopping list, but as a strategic choice ensuring Romanian and American units can operate together immediately in any crisis.

The partnership between Romania and the United States was built for moments like this. Its strength rests on two elements: geography and reliability. Geography we did not choose. Reliability we earned.

Base expansion and NATO spending targets

Romania is also directing domestic funding into permanent alliance infrastructure along the Black Sea coast. The government has committed more than 2.5 billion euros to expand the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, developing the facility into a NATO hub capable of housing up to 10,000 Romanian and allied military personnel. In addition, Dan reaffirmed Romania's pledge to fulfill the defense spending targets established at the NATO summit in The Hague. Under this plan, Romania aims to allocate 5% of its gross domestic product to defense and related expenditures by 2035. The target designates at least 3.5% of GDP for core military defense and up to 1.5% for security infrastructure, resilience, and related strategic investments. Dan stated that Romania intends to match its appreciation for American leadership with concrete budget allocations.