Romania has offered to share the cost of keeping American troops on its soil, following Poland's lead as countries on NATO's eastern flank seek to secure Washington's military commitment to the region.

President Nicușor Dan said on 12 November that he had provided the United States with "some figures" on troop numbers and cost-sharing, and that he wanted Washington to increase the number of troops in Romania and deploy more military capabilities there, according to Vietnam News Agency reporting carried by Bytes Europe.

The offer mirrors Poland's approach. In September, Warsaw offered to pay the United States $15,000 a year for each soldier stationed at a planned permanent base in Poland, while also committing to cover infrastructure costs. Romania's presidential office said Bucharest was considering a similar contribution.

Troop numbers have fallen

According to figures from the Romanian President's Office, there are currently 1,172 American soldiers stationed in Romania, down from about 1,700 previously. Poland, by comparison, hosts about 10,000 US troops, mostly deployed on a rotational basis. Both countries are NATO members and share a land border with Ukraine.

Dan said Romania was well aware of the threat from Russia and of the impact of the war in Ukraine on national security. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Romania has repeatedly reported airspace violations, including drones crashing on its territory or damaging residential areas. Strategically located on the Black Sea coast, the country has also seen attacks targeting commercial vessels.

Speaking on 10 November, Dan said Romania was willing to bear part of the costs of maintaining US troops, describing the arrangement as a "mutual benefit" for both countries, Romanian outlet Informat reported. He said the offer had been conveyed to the US administration, which is analysing it, and that the final decision rests with the American side.

An offer made to the Pentagon

The proposal was first put to the Pentagon in person. A few days before Dan's 10 November statement, he told US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, during a meeting at Cotroceni Palace, that Romania would cover the costs of stationing American troops, provide better accommodation and pay additional fuel expenses. The subject was also discussed at a meeting of Romania's Supreme Council of National Defence, although the amount involved has not been made public.

Dan said Romania had drawn inspiration from measures adopted by other states, and that the foreign affairs and defence ministries, along with lobbying firms, had been involved in preparing the offer. During a visit to the United States on 23 September, he had already announced that Romania had answered all technical questions about the American military presence in Europe and had proposed sharing the costs of the operations.

Romania is also arguing for a larger American presence on practical grounds. Informat reported, citing Bloomberg, that Bucharest hosted about 1,000 American troops and that the authorities were considering investments of around 4 billion euros by 2040 at Mihail Kogălniceanu air base, to improve conditions and allow it to accommodate more troops and allies.

Washington is reviewing its footprint

The Trump administration is currently reviewing the deployment of US forces in Europe and has already reduced troop numbers in Romania. President Donald Trump has previously expressed support for establishing a permanent US military base in Poland, and Warsaw is pressing for a decision.

On 10 November, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said he regarded the Pentagon's response, after talks with his American counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington, as a positive signal for plans to build a permanent base in Poland. He said he expected the White House to make a final decision by early December.

Romania's offer now gives Washington a second eastern-flank partner willing to pay to keep American forces in place, and Bucharest will be watching the December decision on Poland closely for a sign of how its own proposal will be received.