Romania’s special defense council is to discuss letting US planes and military use a Black Sea NATO base potentially for strikes on Iran, which is less than 2,000 kilometers away.
President Nicusor Dan has called a meeting of the Supreme Council (CSAT) Wednesday morning to discuss “the temporary deployment of military capabilities on the territory of Romania”, which is a NATO ally, a press release said without offering further details.
It came after G4Media reported that the United States was interested in sending planes to the Mihail Kogălniceanu base for possible interventions in the Middle East.
The site reported there were ongoing discussions and for the deployment of American soldiers in the Smardan shooting range for the training of the crews of the Abrams tanks.
G4 said discussions were informal, at an early stage, and there had been no official request.
In order to be approved, an official request would need the green light from the Defense Ministry and then the approval of the CSAT. Depending on extent of the operation, the approval of the Parliament may also be needed.
Defense Minister Radu Miruță declined to comment on the reports.
There are also ongoing discussions for the deployment of a US tank battalion in Smîrdan. (Galati, eastern Romania) to train the Abrams crews of European countries, G4Media reported.
Sources said a series of important investments will be made at the military base in Smîrdan to become a training range for Abrams tanks. The size of the polygon would be expanded, tracks would be built, etc.
Miruță told G4: “There are frequent and constant training sessions in Smîrdan.There are ongoing investments in Smîrdan and they continue”. Asked if 500 American soldiers will be sent to Smîrdan, the defense minister said: “I can’t confirm.”
The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest announced last September that U.S. Army PEO STRI Representatives visited the training range in Smîrdan where they will build a modern tank range together with the Romanian Army.
“In collaboration with officers from the Romanian Land Forces, the delegation began planning the construction of a modern tank range, capable of training Romanian tanks at the highest level. The discussions focused on the range’s infrastructure, targeting systems and communications development – all essential elements to increase the realism and interoperability of the trainings,” the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest said.
In October 2025, the US said it would withdraw about 1000 soldiers from Romania. The White House’s decision was then related to President Donald Trump’s strategy to focus his military resources in the Asia-Pacific area. About 1000 American soldiers remain in Romania, with military equipment (planes, drones).
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