Romania plans to fill gap left by US troop withdrawal

Discussions are underway to replace the US troops being withdrawn from the country with other forces, Romanian President Nicușor Dan announced.

He made the remarks in an interview with Radio Romania, stressing that the US decision to withdraw some troops from Romania "has a certain symbolism, but in no way affects the country's security,” Caliber.Az reports.

The president added that “the most important thing in future relations between Romania and the US is the much more significant economic presence of American companies in Romania.”

Earlier, Romania and its NATO allies were informed about the planned reduction of U.S. forces in Europe.

The move was made by US President Donald Trump’s administration “as part of a reassessment of the global posture of the US Armed Forces.”

Leading Republicans in the US Congress later criticised Trump’s decision to scale down the American military presence in Romania.

Romania has, for years, served as a key anchor for US and NATO forces on the Alliance’s eastern flank, particularly at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base near Constanţa. 

However, in late October 2025, the United States announced the withdrawal of a brigade that had rotated through Romania and other regional bases, leaving approximately 1,000 US troops to remain in the country. 

NATO officials and Bucharest have characterised the move not as a retreat but as a “strategic reconfiguration,” emphasising that Romanian and European forces must assume greater defence responsibility.

By Jeyhun Aghazada