Romanian corvette "Admiral Barbuneanu" takes part in the Sea Shield 2024 NATO-led drill in the Black Sea, outside Constanta, Romania, April 16, 2024. Inquam Photos/Eduard Vinatoru via REUTERS/File Photo
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania'sSupremeDefenceCouncilon Friday approved a plan to add new small warships to its fleet, part of wider efforts to strengthen its role in the Black Sea and on NATO's eastern flank.
The European Union and NATOmember - whichshares the longest land border with Ukraine - cancelled in 2023 a long-delayed deal to buy four warships from French firm Naval Group after the company and a junior partner failed to meet a deadline to sign a contract.
Naval Group won the contract to build four Gowind navycorvettesfor Romania and renovate two existing frigates for 1.2 billion euros but the deal was held up, first by legal challenges and then by it failing to reach an understanding with its junior partner over rising costs.
"Council members analyzed and approved equipping the Romanian Navy with a new warship, a light corvette type able to execute in the shortest time a multitude of missions," the defence council said in a statement, adding it has tasked the defence ministry with starting the acquisition process.
No further details were provided.
Romania's navy is the least modernised of its military branches. The country currently says it plans to raisedefencespending to asmuch as 2.5% of economic output this year from a little over 2.2% in 2024.
Romania'sdefencespending could reach 3% of GDP in stages in onetotwo years, interim president Ilie Bolojan said last month.
(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
