American aircraft spark NATO storm. How Italy and Romania responded

Mark Rutte’s statements at the White House – claiming that 500 U.S. aircraft had taken off from Italian bases for operations related to Iran – triggered strong backlash in Italy. Romania was also mentioned by the NATO Secretary General.

The Italian controversy

In an interview with Fox News during his Washington visit, Mark Rutte praised Italy’s cooperation in supporting U.S. military operations involving Iran:

“I fully understand the disappointment [of Donald Trump], but if we take Italy as an example, 500 American aircraft took off from military bases on the peninsula to support the operation. That’s a huge number.”

This ambiguous remark, intended to reassure a Trump-friendly audience and ease U.S.-Italy tensions, backfired. It fuelled frustration within the Italian government toward the NATO chief, according to La Stampa (via RADOR). The comments came on the same day Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was in Berlin coordinating with other European leaders (E5 format) ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for 7-8 July in Ankara.

Italy’s opposition reacted sharply, demanding explanations from the government. M5S leader Giuseppe Conte said Rutte had “shattered Meloni’s fairy tales.” Others expressed shock, with some sarcastically referencing past “Sigonella moments” and criticizing the government’s earlier claims of having said “no” to U.S. bases.

Italy’s Defense Ministry, led by Guido Crosetto, quickly rejected Rutte’s comments as “misleading.” It clarified that the NATO Secretary General has no direct link to Operation Epic Fury and had confused different types of flights. The ministry stressed that Italy had authorized only technical and logistical activities (non-kinetic), in line with existing agreements, while refusing requests outside that scope.

NATO later walked back the statement. A senior Alliance official emphasized that Rutte had only highlighted how allies, including Italy, implemented existing bilateral agreements on bases and overflights. Rutte’s spokesperson, Allison Hart, further clarified that the support referred to was logistical or technical assistance only. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani downplayed the episode as “a storm in a teacup.”

Rutte on Romania: Bucharest airport mentioned

During the same White House discussions with Donald Trump, Rutte again praised Italy and then referenced Romania:

“The airport in Romania, Bucharest, had to be closed to commercial traffic so that they could ensure a tanker aircraft could be sent into the air. I know there have been isolated cases where you are truly disappointed. But overall, your European allies have stood by you.”

Romania’s official response

Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) stated that its priority had been supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at regional de-escalation and establishing peace and security in the Middle East. The decision was taken in the context of existing bilateral agreements with the United States.

Romania emphasized it is a responsible Ally that fully honours its commitments. All sovereign decisions are carefully evaluated for compliance with the UN Charter and international law. Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu reiterated the following day on RFI that Bucharest provided exclusively logistical support for aerial refueling. She stressed: “Romania is not part of any war,” noting that Parliament had approved the decision.

Reactions from Iran and domestic critics

Iran seized on Rutte’s remarks to accuse NATO of “active complicity” in the U.S.-Israel conflict against Iran, which it claimed killed over 3,400 people and caused extensive damage to oil and civilian infrastructure. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei posted on X, calling it a clear violation of international law and demanding accountability.

In Romania, AUR leader George Simion criticized the situation sharply on X, warning that Rutte’s comments could drag the country into war and noting Iran’s angry threats toward Italy and Romania.

The article in Romanian by EUalive’s partner Espress.ro can be found here.

Caption: US President Donald Trump (R) meets with Mark Rutte (L), Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 24 June 2026. EPA/YURI GRIPAS / POOL