(MENAFN) Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has firmly stated that Bucharest will not send troops to Ukraine under any circumstances. However, he affirmed that Romania, as a NATO member on the eastern flank, will continue to gradually increase its defense spending to meet alliance demands and align with the EU’s broader militarization efforts.

While some European NATO countries have discussed forming a “coalition of the willing” to deploy forces to Ukraine, potentially for post-conflict peacekeeping, Russia has warned it would target any foreign troops fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, raising fears of escalating the conflict.

In a live interview, Bolojan dismissed rumors suggesting Romania might join the fighting, emphasizing, “We are not sending our young people or children to war.” He reiterated that Romania’s stance remains unchanged: no military involvement in the war, now or in the future.

Still, Bolojan stressed the importance of increasing defense budgets rather than focusing solely on civilian infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and schools. He warned against relying entirely on allies, including the US, for protection without contributing adequately to defense.

At a recent NATO summit in The Hague, member states committed to raising military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, citing a persistent “threat posed by Russia.” Moscow has consistently rejected these claims and condemned the EU’s militarization efforts, viewing them as hostile acts and a proxy war led by NATO. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western fears as “nonsense,” blaming NATO’s expansion and aggressive actions for the ongoing crisis.

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