Alexandru Nazare discusses defense, the Black Sea and Romania’s strategic infrastructure with Mark Rutte

Raluca Ioana Draghici

9 November 2026, 20:34

Current Affairs

Mark Rutte și Alexandru Nazare / Sursa foto: facebook.com /Alexandru Nazare

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Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels on Monday to discuss defense financing, Black Sea security and Romania’s strategic infrastructure. The meeting took place during the Eurogroup meeting dedicated to defense financing.

Nazare stressed that Romania, located on NATO’s eastern flank, needs appropriate financing mechanisms for investments that contribute to the security of Europe as a whole. The projects presented included the Moldavia Motorway (A7), considered dual-use infrastructure—civilian and military—which will connect Bucharest and the port of Constanța to the border with Ukraine. Through the A8, the project will also provide a connection to the Republic of Moldova.

The minister said that A7 financing had been transferred from the loan component to the grant component of the NRRP. Romania also secured €4.2 billion through the SAFE program for the Pașcani–Suceava–Siret and Moțca–Iași–Ungheni sections.

Another topic was the Bank for Defense, Security and Resilience, of which Romania is a founding member. Bucharest will host the regional office for the southern flank, and the institution could attract private capital for defense projects. Nazare called for Romanian companies to be integrated into European production chains and for joint procurement to benefit from simpler procedures and flexible budgets.

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Context: Romania had previously raised the issue of Black Sea security and defense financing in European discussions

Before the discussion in Brussels, Romania intensified its efforts related to Black Sea security, following the escalation of incidents involving drones and attacks on commercial vessels in the region. Nicuşor Dan announced a NATO meeting to assess security developments and called for additional support to counter drones, surveillance, and an adapted NATO posture, also mentioning the downing of several drones by Romanian F-16 aircraft in the Sulina area.

In the same context, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held talks in Brussels with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, against the backdrop of attacks attributed to Russia on vessels, and Rutte subsequently signaled the strengthening of the presence on the eastern flank and the expansion of counter-drone capabilities. In parallel, Romania also pursued the EU's financial agenda: at a previous ECOFIN/Eurogroup meeting, Alexandru Nazare put defense financing, the efficient use of public resources, and actions such as joint procurement on the agenda, with Mark Rutte's participation expected.