NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed Romanian President Nicuşor Dan to NATO Headquarters in Brussels today (19 March 2026) for his first official visit, praising Romania's steadfast role as an Ally since joining in 2004.
Mr. Rutte highlighted Romania's strategic importance on the eastern flank and in the Black Sea region, noting its hosting of the French-led NATO Forward Land Forces, investment in defence, and more. The Secretary General underscored NATO's readiness to defend every inch of Allied territory, citing recent examples including the joint scrambling of Allied aircraft and Romanian F-16s, as well as the interception of ballistic missiles from Iran heading to Türkiye. He highlighted the value of Eastern Sentry, which has bolstered Allied presence across land, sea, and air domains along NATO's eastern flank.
He further emphasised the need for continued defence investment following the agreement made at the NATO Summit in The Hague, commending Romania for exceeding 2% of GDP on core defence and on planning to reach 2.5% this year. "This is exactly what all Allies need to do - steadily increase investment," Mr. Rutte stated, calling on industry to ramp up production and praising Romania's hosting of the NATO-Industry Forum in Bucharest last November, to foster innovation and cooperation.
The Secretary General also recognised Romania's strong support for Ukraine, including the signing of three bilateral agreements last week on the co-production of defence materiel. Mr. Rutte reaffirmed NATO's unwavering commitment to Ukraine amid a volatile security environment, and expressed his confidence in Romania as an Ally. "Romania can always count on NATO," he concluded, thanking President Dan for his leadership in helping to strengthen the Alliance.
