Romania secures NATO-backed drone-defence aid from Portugal and Slovakia after Black Sea strikes

Romania secures fresh NATO-backed drone-defence support as President Dan announces Portuguese and Slovak assistance following Black Sea incidents

Romania will receive military assistance from Portugal and Slovakia to bolster its defences against drone incursions after recent incidents at Constanța and Galați, President Nicușor Dan announced in Brussels on Thursday. Speaking to reporters on 18 June 2026, the head of state said Lisbon and Bratislava had each pledged unspecified systems and expertise to help counter aerial threats along the Black Sea coast.

The pledge follows confirmed reports that Portuguese-developed drones, produced under a joint army–industry research project with Beyond Vision, are already en route to NATO operations in the region . While Lisbon did not disclose deployment details, the move marks Portugal’s first operational deployment of domestically engineered unmanned systems within a NATO framework.

Slovakia’s contribution remains under discussion, but President Dan emphasised that both countries had framed their support as a direct response to the 17 June drone strikes that damaged civilian infrastructure in Constanța and Galați. “Portugal and Slovakia have stepped forward with concrete offers to strengthen our air-defence posture,” Dan told journalists in Brussels. “This is a tangible expression of European solidarity.”

The announcement comes amid wider debate over the integration of artificial intelligence in military counter-drone systems. Speaking to German media on the same day, AI defence specialist Emelia Probasco highlighted how machine-learning algorithms are increasingly used to detect, classify and neutralise small unmanned threats in real time .

In parallel, the Romanian government confirmed that a Galați family left homeless after a Russian drone struck a ten-storey apartment block will receive emergency compensation from state funds . Local authorities welcomed the decision but noted that municipal budgets remain stretched, underscoring the broader humanitarian strain caused by the recent strikes.

Defence analysts caution that while the Portuguese and Slovak pledges are welcome, they represent only a partial solution to the evolving threat. “Drone swarms and AI-enabled countermeasures are reshaping battlefield dynamics,” Probasco said. “No single system can guarantee air superiority; layered defences and allied coordination are essential.”

President Dan is expected to brief NATO counterparts on Friday, seeking to formalise the assistance under the Alliance’s enhanced air-policing mission.