US Deputy Defence Secretary Elbridge Colby to Meet President Nicușor Dan in Bucharest

US Deputy Defence Secretary Elbridge Colby will meet Romanian President Nicușor Dan on Wednesday afternoon at Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, according to the Presidential Administration. The meeting is scheduled for 15:00.

Colby, who serves as undersecretary for defence policy at the Pentagon, arrives in Romania after visiting Poland, a sequence that underlines Washington’s focus on the two largest states on NATO’s eastern flank. He recently met with Romanian presidential adviser Marius Lazurca during the latter’s visit to the United States.

Romania’s ambassador to the US, Andrei Muraru, described the visit as “important” and said discussions would centre on the American military presence, regional security, and defence industry cooperation. Speaking to TVR Info, Muraru said it was crucial for Colby to receive assurances from the president, other political leaders and the military that Romania’s strategic plans have broad support regardless of future parliamentary changes.

Muraru also highlighted potential joint projects, including the planned munitions production facility run by SIG Sauer and funded through the SAFE programme, as factors that could weigh in favour of a positive decision from the Trump administration on deeper cooperation.

He added that recent security concerns, such as maritime and aerial drones entering Romanian airspace, would probably be discussed, along with the need for more equipment and closer coordination with American partners.

Reuters has reported that Colby is among US officials who have asked some NATO member states to moderate their public statements about the threat from Russia, although the requests were not made in a confrontational manner. His visit to Bucharest is seen as part of ongoing efforts to align security priorities on the Black Sea.