Netherlands sends 200 soldiers to Romania

The Netherlands sends 200 soldiers to Romania. They will become part of a French-led NATO combat unit. Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO wants to strengthen the eastern flank of the alliance. There are already “combat groups” in the Baltic states and Poland and will also be established in Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

It was already clear that the Netherlands was willing to consider participating in Romania, and Defense Ministers Olungren and Hoekstra for Foreign Affairs now announced that the Cabinet actually wanted to make a military contribution.

The mission lasts one year

The Dutch unit (men from the 11th Air Brigade) is stationed at the military base in Cinco in central Romania. The Dutch mission will in principle last one year, and the goal is for the first Dutchman to start work in the summer. It is paid every four months.

There was also a reconnaissance mission and another coming in May. An “engineering team” of 85 soldiers may travel to Romania next month to help prepare the site.

collective deterrence

According to the Cabinet, the mission contributes to “strengthening NATO’s collective defense and deterrence and reassuring our allies in the region.” “Violation of the entire NATO Treaty Area leads to immediate engagement by the entire Alliance,” O’Longren and Hoekstra emphasized. They assert that NATO’s presence in Southeast Europe is defensive in nature.

The cost of the mission in Romania is 34 million euros.