Romania’s parliament voted on March 11 to approve the temporary deployment of US military equipment and personnel on Romanian territory, endorsing a decision taken earlier the same day by the Supreme National Defence Council (CSAT) and approved by President Nicușor Dan. The motion passed with 272 votes in favour, 18 against and five abstentions.

Under the arrangement, observation and intelligence-gathering systems, including drones, as well as logistical support equipment such as aerial refuelling aircraft, will be deployed in Romania together with a contingent of around 400–500 US soldiers. The deployment is authorised for a period of up to 90 days, with any extension requiring a new agreement.

Dan stressed that the systems to be deployed have a defensive role and avoided commenting on the use of the resources deployed by the US, namely, the Middle East operations against Iran. The head of state assured that this equipment increases Romania's security.

“It concerns refuelling planes, monitoring equipment and satellite communications equipment, the latter in correlation with the Deveselu shield. I emphasise the fact that this equipment is defensive and that it is not equipped with actual weapons – in technical terms, they are said to be non-kinetic equipment,” the president said.

He added that the deployment will take place under the Partnership Agreement between Romania and the United States.

The equipment will be stationed primarily at the Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase on the Black Sea coast and at the Câmpia Turzii airbase in central Romania. Telecommunications equipment will also be deployed at Deveselu in southern Romania, the Nato base hosting the US Navy’s Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defence System.