President Nicușor Dan calls for stronger NATO presence in Romania after recent drone incidents

NATO allies expressed solidarity with Romania during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council focused on security in the Black Sea region on June 10, following recent drone-related incidents on Romanian territory and in its waters. President Nicușor Dan said the discussions underscored the need for the Alliance to strengthen its presence and anti-drone capabilities in Romania.

The discussion came after recent drone-related incidents in Romania, including the crash of a Russian drone into an apartment building in Galați and the arrival of several Ukrainian naval drones in Romanian waters after they reportedly went off course due to Russian electronic warfare measures. One of the drones exploded in the Port of Constanța last week.

“I welcome today's results of the North Atlantic Council meeting at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, dedicated to the security situation in the Black Sea, a topic of great importance for Romania and for NATO. Allies firmly expressed their solidarity with Romania following recent drone incidents,” president Dan said on X.

He further stressed that "Russia's war against Ukraine continues to create major risks for Euro-Atlantic security, particularly in the Black Sea," adding that "it is therefore important that NATO strengthen its presence and capabilities in Romania, including in the area of countering aerial and maritime drones.”

According to Nicușor Dan, allies agreed during the meeting to accelerate NATO projects aimed at responding to drone threats so that support measures for affected member states can be approved at the Alliance summit in Ankara.

“Black Sea security is also essential for protecting critical infrastructure and strategic energy projects such as Neptun Deep, which contributes to Europe’s energy resilience. This topic was part of today’s discussion,” he said.

I welcome today's results of the North Atlantic Council meeting at #NATO Headquarters in Brussels, dedicated to the security situation in the Black Sea, a topic of great importance for Romania and for NATO. Allies firmly expressed their solidarity with Romania following recent… — Nicușor Dan (@NicusorDanRO) June 10, 2026

Interim defense minister Radu Miruță also stated that Romania had, for the first time, placed the risks posed by maritime drones in the Black Sea on NATO's agenda. He added that allied countries recognized Romania's efforts to strengthen regional security through defense modernization programs and anti-drone capabilities acquired under the European SAFE initiative.