EditEurope seeks US F-35 deployment in Romania as Ukraine guarantee
In Romania, NATO is building its largest air base in Europe, in a bid to deter Russia from launching another invasion
European countries want President Donald Trump to send U.S. fighter jets to Romania as part of the security guarantees offered by Washington to help end the war in Ukraine, the British daily The Times reported, citing discussions among senior military officials.
According to information obtained by The Times, high-ranking European military leaders have considered deploying U.S. F-35 jets to Romania, where NATO is building its largest air base in Europe, in a bid to deter Russia from launching another invasion.
On Monday, Trump ruled out sending U.S. ground troops to Ukraine but said he was ready to provide “air support” as part of America’s security guarantees. Following Monday’s White House meeting, attended by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, military chiefs convened in Washington to discuss the logistical aspects of the U.S. support.
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, hosted a Pentagon meeting with top generals from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Finland and Italy to discuss the security guarantees.
NATO currently conducts air policing missions over the Black Sea from the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania, a key hub for US forces during the Iraq war and the most likely location for the deployment of American fighter jets.
Beyond the stationing of US aircraft in Romania, European countries also seek guarantees on continued access to American satellites for GPS and reconnaissance in Ukraine, The Times wrote. They are also pressing for a US commitment to provide Ukraine with Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems to intercept Russian strikes, as well as permission to conduct reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea.
The UK’s Royal Air Force has been flying Rivet Joint surveillance missions since the early days of the war, but these Boeing-made aircraft require American approval to operate.
As part of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, the group of countries prepared to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, UK has offered to deploy Typhoon fighter jets in western Ukraine and send a brigade of 3,000 to 5,000 troops to train Ukrainian forces. France, Canada and Australia could also send troops to western Ukraine.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, head of the UK armed forces, joined Wednesday’s Pentagon talks. Radakin, who has earned the trust of Ukrainian officials, previously played a role in easing tensions between Kyiv and Washington, The Times underlined. He also took part in a virtual meeting with NATO defence chiefs where allies discussed their support for Ukraine, The Times wrote.
Romania is also preparing to adapt its military infrastructure to host F-35 fighter jets, having already committed to purchasing the aircraft as part of its long-term defense modernisation. The country is set to become home to NATO’s largest base in Eastern Europe, with facilities designed to accommodate up to 10,000 troops under French command.
Russia has strongly criticised Western talks on security guarantees for Ukraine. Moscow firmly opposes the deployment of any Western troops. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that Moscow and Beijing should hold veto power over Western military support for Ukraine and said NATO’s discussions on security guarantees represented “a road to nowhere.”
Moscow seethes after European leaders bolster Zelenskyy in Monday’s White House talks with Trump
“We cannot agree with the idea that security issues, collective security issues, are now being proposed to be resolved without the Russian Federation. This will not work,” Lavrov declared.
He said that the security guarantees discussed between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in 2022 served as “a very good example” of what the Kremlin could endorse.
Under those proposals, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, Russia, USA, the United Kingdom and France – would each have veto power over any military support granted to Ukraine. Such an arrangement, The Times pointed out, would effectively allow the Kremlin to block any attempt to aid Kyiv.
On Wednesday, Lavrov was evasive about the possibility of a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy, after the White House said earlier in the week that such a summit should take place before Trump offered to mediate at a trilateral meeting. Lavrov only noted that Putin was “considering raising the level of the heads of delegations” taking part in the existing negotiations between the two sides.
The three rounds of peace talks held this year in Istanbul have achieved little progress and were largely dismissed by the Kremlin. Russia’s lead negotiator in those discussions was Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister.
Sources: The Times, Bloomberg, Hotnews.ro
Caption: A US Air Force F-35 fighter jet participates in exercise `Ramstein Flag 2024` in Greece, 4 October 2024. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER
Updated: August 21, 2025 - 11:30
