Luca Niculescu and Elbridge Colby Discuss Defense and Black Sea Security

Prime Minister Luca Niculescu received Elbridge Colby, the U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, who is on an official visit to Romania, at Victoria Palace on Thursday morning. The discussions focused on deepening the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership, defense cooperation, and the security situation in the Black Sea region.

The prime minister stated that the United States is an essential ally for Romania’s national and regional security and reaffirmed Bucharest’s readiness to remain a reliable partner for Washington. Luca Niculescu presented the American official with the Government’s efforts to allocate significant resources to defense, despite budgetary constraints.

Romania is pursuing compliance with the commitments made at the NATO Summit in The Hague by modernizing military capabilities and increasing investment in the defense industry and dual-use infrastructure. Bucharest also wishes to expand cooperation with the U.S. through production, maintenance, and logistical support projects.

The meeting also examined the situation in the Black Sea, including drone incursions and attacks on commercial vessels, considered threats to freedom of navigation. The prime minister reiterated Romania’s interest in a stronger American military and economic presence on the Eastern Flank.

Elbridge Colby’s visit included meetings on Wednesday with President Nicușor Dan and Foreign Minister Dan Neculăescu, during which regional security and the strengthening of transatlantic cooperation within NATO were discussed.