Interim president Ilie Bolojan talks about US troop repositioning in Europe, increased defense budget in Romania

Interim president Ilie Bolojan said that the positioning of US troops in Europe will be reassessed, while Romania plans to gradually increase its defense spending as a share of GDP. Speaking in a live interview with Digi24, he stated that Europe remains reliant on the United States for security, emphasizing that the transatlantic defense framework has been essential for the past two decades.

“Europe cannot ensure its own defense without the US because this structure has functioned very well for 20 years. Our development in this period has been due to two key factors: NATO’s security and EU membership. This situation cannot change overnight,” he said, as reported by Biziday.ro.

Regarding the presence of US troops in European states, Ilie Bolojan confirmed that changes are forthcoming.

“How this repositioning will take place will be determined in the coming period. We may see the same number of US troops in Europe or fewer,” he stated.

Further on, the interim president said: “Romania will contribute more to defense, and rightly so. There will be a phased increase in defense spending. I cannot provide an exact figure because this growth will be implemented gradually.”

Bolojan also noted that the United States’ shift toward normalizing relations with Russia has led to discussions on two main fronts. One possibility is that NATO’s current protection system, in which the US provides core infrastructure, remains functional, but with a greater financial contribution from European nations.

The second scenario considers the potential downsizing of US forces in Europe for geostrategic reasons, which would require European countries to take on not only increased financial burdens but also greater strategic and operational responsibilities.

Last summer, NATO estimated that Romania allocated 2.25% of its GDP to defense in 2024, Biziday.ro noted.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Malina Norocea)