08 July 2026 Romania will raise its combined defense and security spending to 3.7% of GDP this year and has joined NATO's new Drone Edge initiative for joint drone procurement, president Nicușor Dan announced on Wednesday, July 8, while attending the NATO summit in Ankara. The country also joined a NATO-backed initiative to acquire Saab GlobalEye surveillance aircraft and signed a declaration to establish a new international defense financing institution. In a Facebook post, president Dan said Romania remains committed to fulfilling its obligations as a NATO ally and will continue investing in defense while strengthening collective security, particularly in the Black Sea region. “This year, we will reach combined defense and security spending of 3.7% of GDP,” Nicușor Dan said. “We are work