Romania to Acquire Iron Dome to Protect NATO's Eastern Front

Romania has signed a deal with Israeli defense manufacturer Rafael to acquire the Iron Dome missile defense system to protect NATO countries from short range missiles, Newsweek reported.

Speaking on Romanian television, Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu said the deal would be signed within the year "to defend our cities."

Roger Hilton, defense research fellow at the Slovakia-based think tank GLOBSEC, told the outlet that since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the country has seen repeated airspace violations, prompting the need for a stronger defense system. In 2024, it was reported that debris from Russian drones and missiles were landing in Romania, although there was no evidence the violations were deliberate.

Mosteanu said seeing the Iron Dome in action during the Iranian missile attacks on Tel Aviv, Israel, has shown its effectiveness.

"It will protect us, too, whether it's airports, military bases, or — God forbid — we need to defend our cities," he said.

News of the Romanian acquisition comes as President Donald Trump has demanded that NATO allies invest 5% of their gross domestic product on defense, an increase from the current level of 2%. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has proposed expanding the definition of military spending to help counties meet the new threshold.

The new plan would seek a target of military spending at 3.5% plus 1.5% aimed at newer, nontraditional spending. The latter could include such improvements as improved infrastructure including rail lines and developing advancements in cybersecurity and communications.

Hilton told the outlet that the use of the Iron Dome in a NATO country is a natural response to Russia's increased production of short-range drones and missiles but to expect Moscow to balk at the defense upgrade.

"As these systems come online, it will surely be met with derision and false claims of escalation from the Kremlin," Hilton said.