After a Russian drone struck a residential building in the southeastern Romanian city of Galați early Friday, sparking a fire and injuring two civilians, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte reaffirmed the alliance’s support for Romania.
In a message posted on X, Rutte said he had spoken by telephone with Romanian President Nicușor Dan and conveyed NATO’s full solidarity following the incident.
“I affirmed that NATO stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory,” Rutte wrote, adding that the alliance would continue strengthening its preparedness to deter and respond to emerging threats, including drone attacks.
Galați lies on the Danube River close to Romania’s borders with both Moldova and Ukraine.
Rutte directly blamed Russia for the incident, describing Moscow’s actions as reckless and dangerous. He noted that Russian forces continue to strike civilian targets and infrastructure throughout Ukraine, arguing that the consequences of the Kremlin’s war extend beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Russia itself proceeded to deny responsibility. President Vladimir Putin argued that nobody had conclusively proven the drone’s origin and suggested it could have been Ukrainian or may have gone off course due to electronic warfare or a technical malfunction.
That said, Romania says its investigation identified the drone as a Russian-made Geran-2 (the Russian-produced version of the Iranian Shahed drone), citing physical evidence from the wreckage. Romanian officials have therefore publicly assigned responsibility to Russia
President Nicușor Dan also addressed the incident on X, announcing that he had convened an emergency meeting of Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defence. He characterized the drone strike as the most serious event affecting Romanian territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Dan stated that Romanian authorities would adopt a proportionate response toward the Russian Federation following the incident.
The drone incursion comes amid a series of real or suspected drone-related incidents reported across the Baltic region and Finland in recent weeks, raising broader concerns about security along NATO’s eastern flank.
The United States also voiced support for Romania. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker condemned the drone’s entry into Romanian territory and expressed solidarity with those affected.
“Our thoughts are with the injured in Galați,” Whitaker said. “We stand with our Romanian ally and will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Beyond statements, concrete future actions remain unclear.
