NATO builds Europe’s largest base near Black Sea

Romania has now begun construction on what will eventually become the NATO alliance’s largest European military base, and the transatlantic alliance is looking to strengthen its capabilities with an eye toward Russian activities in the Black Sea region.

The $2.7 billion project will expand the Romanian Air Force’s 57th Air Base Mihail Kogalniceanu, located near the Black Sea port city of Constanta. The new facility will have a perimeter of approximately 20 miles, an area of ​​approximately 11 square miles, and will house approximately 10,000 NATO personnel and their families.

Romania has long been an important base for NATO operations in the Black Sea region. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, thousands of U.S. soldiers have been touring the country on bicycles on training and security missions. American combat reconnaissance aircraft regularly operate from there as part of NATO security operations.

Euronews reported this weekend that work began on the base’s basic infrastructure, including access roads and power grids. Eventually, several new runways are expected to be built to support the operation of various types of military aircraft.

“We have maintenance hangars, fuel storage, ammunition, equipment, aviation technical materials, simulators, feeding facilities and accommodations, all to support the base’s operations and mission,” said Nicolae Kresch, the base’s commander. is necessary.” About the size. ”

NATO began building a network of four Enhanced Forward Presence multinational battle groups in the Baltic Sea region after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. After the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the Alliance intensified these missions and established four additional battle groups. In Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.

France is a framework nation for Romania Battlegroup, with Belgium, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, and the United States all contributing forces.

Bucharest is aiming for closer cooperation with its NATO allies, especially the United States, as the Black Sea becomes an increasingly dangerous theater of conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and between Moscow and its Western rivals.

“Romania has already established itself as the eastern anchor of NATO and the EU,” Prime Minister Marcel Ciolak said. newsweek In June.

“Romania is and remains a trusted ally of the United States, committed to stability and peace in Central and Eastern Europe. We are determined to firmly support freedom.”

“Strengthening the strategic partnership between Romania and the United States on the economic and security fronts is a top priority,” Ciolak said. “Efforts to strengthen the security of NATO’s eastern flank have already been implemented, and further efforts are currently underway. I would like to express my gratitude.

“We are vigilant 24/7 against Russian influence and interference operations in Romania and have successfully countered such attempts on several occasions,” added Ciolak. “The continued threat from Russian activities in Romania requires us to take their hidden and compounded threat very seriously.

“Russia has historically loomed over Romania and the eastern part of Europe as a source of instability, repression and aggression. Therefore, we will counter any Russian attempts to destabilize Romania and our partners. I am always working towards that.”