Romanian president warns Russia seeks to draw other European states into war
Nicușor Dan said Russia's hybrid war against Europe goes beyond Ukraine, as Romania reports 164 border-security incidents since the invasion began.
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Romanian President Nicușor Dan said Russia is trying to widen its war beyond Ukraine by provoking other European countries, in an interview with Bloomberg published Friday, his fourth interview with foreign media in five days, Romanian outlet Libertatea reported.
Dan said he agreed with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's view that Europe underestimates the threat from Russia, pointing to Moscow's cyberattacks, sabotage and disinformation campaigns against European societies alongside the war in Ukraine. "We were not prepared for this kind of hybrid war," he said.
Romania has recorded 164 security incidents near its border since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, Dan said, citing Romanian authorities' figures. Fighter jets were scrambled 112 times, there were 54 cases of unauthorised incursions, six drones were shot down and 81 incidents involved drones or drone fragments found after falling.
Dan drew a distinction between drones that stray into Romanian territory from strikes on Ukrainian Danube ports and attacks on ships in the Black Sea, which he said are deliberately targeted rather than accidental. He said Romania has ordered military equipment through the EU's SAFE programme and has asked NATO allies for temporary support while awaiting delivery, a request discussed at a NATO meeting last week.
Asked when such incidents might trigger NATO's Article 5 , Dan did not name a threshold and said Europe should avoid being drawn into escalation. "The Russians are trying to escalate the situation to provoke all European countries, and my point of view is that we should not enter this escalation process," he said.
Dan said he hopes US President Donald Trump can help mediate an end to the war in Ukraine, and said Romania will keep supporting Kyiv while strengthening its own defences without seeking direct confrontation with Russia.
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What we know
- 1 outlet · Mediafax Nicușor Dan said Russia is trying to widen its war beyond Ukraine by provoking other European states.
- 1 outlet · Libertatea Romania has recorded 164 security incidents near its border since the invasion began, including 112 fighter jet scrambles and six drones shot down, Dan said.
- 1 outlet · Libertatea Dan said Black Sea ship attacks are deliberately targeted, unlike stray drones near the Danube border.
- 1 outlet · Libertatea Romania has ordered equipment via the EU's SAFE programme and asked NATO allies for temporary support in the meantime.
- 1 outlet · Mediafax Dan declined to name a threshold for invoking NATO's Article 5 and said Europe should avoid escalation.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Romania's figures illustrate the scale of hybrid pressure facing a NATO and EU member bordering the war: dozens of drone incursions and repeated fighter jet scrambles since the invasion, alongside strikes on shipping in the Black Sea. Dan's comments echo recent warnings from other European leaders, including Germany's Merz, that the continent's governments were unprepared for Russia's campaign of cyberattacks, sabotage and disinformation.
Sources
Reported by 5 reports from 5 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- Libertatea: Nicușor Dan speră că Trump poate să medieze pacea în Ucraina. Al patrulea interviu în cinci zile dat de președinte în presa străină
- Mediafax: Nicușor Dan avertizează că Rusia încearcă să extindă războiul din Ucraina: „Vor să provoace alte țări europene”. Ce spune despre Articolul 5 NATO
- TVNET: Jaunais ASV miera plāns paredz Ukrainas dalību ES apmaiņā pret atteikšanos no NATO, ziņo "The Economist"
- Digi24: Planul de pace al SUA pentru războiul din Ucraina: Kievul aderă la UE și Rusia s-ar alege cu relaxarea sancțiunilor (The Economist)
- Delfi Latvia: Medijs: ASV miera plāns paredz Ukrainas dalību ES apmaiņā pret atteikšanos no NATO
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What did Nicușor Dan say about Russia's intentions?
- He said Russia is trying to widen the war beyond Ukraine by provoking other European countries.
- How many security incidents has Romania recorded near its border?
- 164 incidents since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, including 112 fighter jet scrambles, according to Dan.
- Did Dan say when NATO's Article 5 might apply?
- No. He declined to name a threshold and said Europe should avoid escalation.
This article was written with AI assistance from 5 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.