Romania sends defense chief and security advisor to Washington after shooting down three Russian drones
President Nicușor Dan dispatched his national security advisor and the chief of defense to Washington for talks with the Trump administration and Congress, following three consecutive days of Russian drone intrusions into Romanian airspace.
Trip announcement
On Monday evening, July 27, 2026, Marius Lazurca, national security advisor to President Nicușor Dan, announced on X that he and General Gheorghiță Vlad, Chief of the Defense Staff, would travel to Washington, D.C. They are to meet with representatives of the Trump administration and Congressional leaders. The mission aims to strengthen security coordination in the Black Sea region.
President Dan sent me and the head of Romania's Defense to Washington DC to meet with the Trump administration and Congressional leaders, in order to strengthen our security cooperation in the Black Sea region. Brave Romanian pilots, flying aboard American-made F-16 aircraft, shot down three Russian drones in the last three days. These threats remind us how important our strong security partnership with the United States is and how grateful we are for it. Peace through strength.
Drone incursions and shootdowns
The trip follows a series of Russian drone violations of Romanian airspace between July 24 and 26. Romanian Air Force F-16s, alongside Italian Eurofighter Typhoons, intercepted and destroyed three drones. The first incident occurred on Friday, July 24, when radar detected a target 20 kilometers east of Sulina at 9:39 AM. The drone entered Romanian territory and flew a path over Sulina, Brăila, Fetești, and Buzău. Two Romanian F-16s and two Italian Typhoons were scrambled. At 11:02 AM, a Romanian F-16 fired an air-to-air missile, downing the drone over an uninhabited area near Padina, Buzău county. No casualties or damage were reported. The General Prosecutor's Office later identified the drone as a Shahed type.
On Saturday, July 25, a second drone was shot down near the border. On Sunday, July 26, a third drone was destroyed near Sulina. The Romanian Ministry of Defense confirmed all three interceptions.
- Radar detects drone 20 km east of Sulina; it enters Romanian airspace.
- Romanian F-16 shoots down Shahed-type drone near Padina, Buzău county.
- Second drone shot down near the border.
- Third drone shot down near Sulina.
Purpose of the Washington talks
Lazurca's message emphasized the importance of the US-Romania security partnership. The phrase "Peace through strength" echoes a foreign policy concept associated with President Donald Trump. The delegation will discuss alignment on Black Sea security, likely including air defense cooperation, intelligence sharing, and NATO's eastern flank posture. The meetings are scheduled with both executive branch officials and members of Congress.
Broader context
The drone incursions are part of a pattern of Russian aerial activity near NATO's borders. Romania, a NATO member since 2004, hosts a US missile defense site at Deveselu and regularly conducts joint air policing missions. The downing of three drones in as many days marks an escalation in the region, prompting Bucharest to seek reaffirmation of US commitment.
