Current:Home > MarketsNATO member Romania pushes to buy 54 Abrams battle tanks from US-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
NATO member Romania pushes to buy 54 Abrams battle tanks from US
View Date:2024-12-23 21:01:29
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania is pushing to buy 54 Abrams main battle tanks and related equipment from the United States in a deal worth at least a billion dollars, the defense ministry said Friday.
The ministry said the latest-model tanks would help its military meet regional security challenges. Romania, a NATO member since 2004, shares a long border with war-torn Ukraine.
The sale would include ammunition and training simulators, the ministry said. It said Romania has estimated the contract as worth about $1 billion, but that Congress was notified of a higher value of $2.5 billion after it was approved by the U.S. State Department on Thursday. No timeframe for the purchase was specified.
Romanian Minister of Defense Angel Tilvar said the strategic partnership between his country and the U.S. “represents one of the pillars of national security and an essential contribution to strengthening the defense of the allied eastern flank in the Black Sea region.”
On Friday, Romania’s defense ministry also announced the inauguration next week of a long-planned training hub for F-16 fighter jet pilots from NATO countries and other partners, including Ukraine.
The U.S. State Department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Thursday after a notification was sent to Congress that the potential tank sale “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives” of the U.S. and improve NATO’s security.
In April, Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defense announced that it had approved the acquisition of an unspecified number of American-made F-35 fighter jets, as Romania pushes to modernize its military.
After Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Romania boosted it defense spending, while NATO bolstered its presence on Europe’s eastern flank by sending additional multinational battlegroups to alliance members Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovakia.
veryGood! (1667)
Related
- Inspector general finds no fault in Park Police shooting of Virginia man in 2017
- FEMA: Worker fired after directing workers to avoid helping hurricane survivors who supported Trump
- Ella Emhoff Slams Rumors She's Been Hospitalized For a Mental Breakdown
- Watch as Rockefeller Christmas tree begins journey to NYC: Here's where it's coming from
- Diamond Sports Group will offer single-game pricing to stream NBA and NHL games starting next month
- Minnesota Man Who Told Ex She’d “End Up Like Gabby Petito” Convicted of Killing Her
- Why Wicked’s Marissa Bode Wants Her Casting to Set A New Precedent in Hollywood
- Rare Sephora Deals on Beauty Devices That Never Go On Sale: Dyson Airwrap, NuFace & More
- Guns smuggled from the US are blamed for a surge in killings on more Caribbean islands
- Dua Lipa Cancels Concert Due to Safety Concerns
Ranking
- Advocacy group sues Tennessee over racial requirements for medical boards
- How many points did Bronny James score tonight in G League debut?
- Inside Wicked Costars Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s Magical Romance
- Retired research chimps to be moved from New Mexico to a Louisiana sanctuary
- Why Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams May Be Rejoining the George R.R. Martin Universe
- After impressive Georgia win, there's no denying Lane Kiffin is a legit ball coach
- Bribery case adds to problems in Mississippi city with water woes and policing disputes
- Pelicans star Zion Williamson out indefinitely with strained hamstring
Recommendation
-
California voters reject proposed ban on forced prison labor in any form
-
‘Saturday Night Live’ to take on a second Trump term after focusing on Harris
-
Ranked voting tabulation in pivotal Maine congressional race to begin Tuesday
-
LGBTQ+ hotlines experience influx in crisis calls amid 2024 presidential election
-
Why the US celebrates Veterans Day and how the holiday has changed over time
-
The Daily Money: Who pays for Trump's tariffs?
-
Wicked's Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo Detail Bond With Sister Witches Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel
-
Frustrated Americans await the economic changes they voted for with Trump