Romanian centrist presidency candidate wants to spend more on defence, keep backing Ukraine

By Luiza Ilie

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A pro-European presidential contender in Romania's May 4 election has said defence spending should rise to 3.5% of GDP by 2030 from 2.5% and argued that maintaining support for Ukraine in its war with Russia is essential for Romania's security.

Nicusor Dan, the 55-year-old two-term mayor of Bucharest, is an independent running neck-and-neck with ruling coalition centrist Crin Antonescu and nationalist former prime minister Victor Ponta in a bid to reach a runoff on May 18, alongside the hard-right frontrunner George Simion.

Dan is running on an anti-corruption platform, something also likely to find favour with European Union and NATO allies as Romania assumes growing importance as a bulwark against Russian influence on the border with Ukraine and Moldova, another state under pressure from Moscow.

"I want to underline that the war in Ukraine is essential for the security of Romania and Moldova," Dan told Reuters in an interview.

"I appreciate what the Romanian state has done so far, the direction ... was correct and must continue."

The election is being closely watched abroad after being cancelled in December, before the runoff, amid accusations of Russian meddling, which Moscow denies.

The first round had been won by a far-right pro-Russia newcomer, Calin Georgescu, who has since been banned from running again as he faces a criminal investigation over his support for fascist groupings and campaign funding issues.

Dan said the Constitutional Court decision to cancel the election, which has been criticised by members of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, had been correct.

Concerns are growing that the U.S. is set to cut troop numbers across Europe, demanding that European countries take more of the burden of maintaining the NATO alliance's security umbrella.

Romania has donated a Patriot air defence battery to Kyiv, is training Ukrainian fighter pilots and has enabled the export of roughly 30 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain through its Black Sea port of Constanta since the war began in 2022.

Around 1,700 U.S. troops are currently stationed in Romania, most at the Kogalniceanu air base on the Black Sea, into which Bucharest is investing 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion) to turn it into one of NATO's biggest European bases.

Dan said Romania could use the base as a lever to encourage the U.S. to maintain its presence:

"That American troops are using the Kogalniceanu air base is an advantage for them for the influence they want to have in the Middle East," Dan said.

"Beyond that, everything depends on technical discussions. If Romania can do something (to keep the U.S. troops) we want to do that."

He also said Romania should continue to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports, but must consult with Romanian producers so they were not disadvantaged.

($1 = 0.8788 euros)

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Kevin Liffey)