Romania to develop joint drone production with Ukraine to protect NATO's eastern flank, Romanian FM says
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu confirmed on Sept. 30 Bucharest's plans to partner with Ukraine to produce drones intended to protect NATO airspace.
"We believe it is strategic for (NATO's) eastern flank to be better protected, especially in air defence. So what we are doing in that direction is to create the partnerships needed, for example, with Ukraine to build defensive drones for the future," Toiu told Reuters in an interview.
The plans come as Russian drones have repeatedly violated Romania's airspace. The country, which shares a 650-kilometer (400-mile) border with Ukraine, has documented more than 20 incidents of drones crossing into its territory or debris falling on its soil.
"We believe in our capacity to make it a reality fast," Toiu added.
Reuters reported on Sept. 26 that Bucharest is in talks with Ukraine to jointly produce drones, under a European Union-funded defense initiative, drawing on Kyiv's "battle-tested" technology.
Through the scheme, Romania will receive 16.6 billion euros ($19.4 billion) under the EU's SAFE rearmament program, funding that Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said would cover annual military purchases equal to about 1% of the country's GDP over the next five years.
Tensions along NATO's eastern flank have escalated in recent weeks. Estonia accused Russia of violating its airspace with three fighter jets, NATO jets shot down Russian drones over Poland, and multiple EU countries have seen an increase in unidentified drones flying over critical infrastructure and airports.
Romania's current defenses include U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, Patriot air defense systems, Lockheed Martin's HIMARS rocket launchers, South Korean Chiron short-range missiles, and German Gepard anti-aircraft guns.
Ukraine itself has rapidly scaled up production, with Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announcing on Sept. 18 that the country will soon be able to deploy at least 1,000 interceptor drones per day to repel Russian attacks.
In addition to the planned European cooperation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 27 that Kyiv is planning both a $90 billion "Mega Deal" — a major agreement on the purchase of American weapons — and a "Drone Deal," to sell Ukrainian unmanned systems to the U.S.
Olena Goncharova
