In the rugged, forested mountains of central Romania, 5,000 NATO troops gathered to repel a fictional enemy. As part of the exercises that Alliance calls 'show of force'two French Puma helicopters descended from the clouds, gliding low over the hills, while tanks and howitzers rolled into position and fighter jets and drones streaked across the sky.
— The main goal of this scenario is deterrence, says Maj. Gen. Dorin Toma, commander of NATO Multinational Division South-East. The addressee of this message is no secret: Vladimir Putin's Russia.
The maneuvers are part of the annual exercise known as Dacian Fall, but this year's edition — which ended on Thursday — carried extra weight. These exercises, part of NATO's efforts to strengthen Europe's eastern flank, come just weeks after Washington announced that it would significantly reduce the number of American troops in Romania — although European defense and intelligence officials warn that Moscow could test the alliance's resolve over the next few years.
There are several NATO bases in Romania, which borders Ukraine, Moldova and the Black Sea. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in full scale in 2022 Romania hosted a multinational NATO battle group led by Franceincluding Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg.
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In November, the Pentagon announced that will move an infantry brigade of approximately 800 soldiers from Romania to Kentuckyas the U.S. military refocuses on domestic priorities such as border security and the Indo-Pacific region. Okay. 1,000 US troops will remain in the country as part of the bilateral defense agreement between Washington and Bucharest.
Mark Rutte, NATO secretary general, and top officials in Romania and the Trump administration have downplayed the implications of the decision. However, Sorin Moldovan, secretary of state at the Romanian Ministry of Defense, recently told POLITICO that the United States should “repeal” the decision to withdraw troops.
It is expected the reduction of American troops will have no military impact “It's not a big deal for the guys in the trenches,” a senior Romanian officer told POLITICO. However, some people fear that as a political symbol, it could embolden Putin. Earlier this week, debris from a Russian drone landed on Romanian soil, the latest in a series of similar incidents.
Exercises “Dacian Fall” in RomaniaLaura Kayali / Politico
The withdrawal “will have limited operational implications,” says Anca Agachi, a policy analyst at the US research institute RAND. “It's strategic signaling that the alliance has to worry about,” he adds. And exercises like Dacian Fall must “signal deterrence” she said.
“A very good platform for conducting experiments and testing new equipment”
The exercises are designed to demonstrate that NATO allies are ready to cooperate to strengthen the eastern flank — and drawing conclusions from the war in Ukraine.
Speed will be key in responding to Russian aggression. As part of one of the largest deployments of the French army Paris sent troops and military equipment to Romania within the 10-day deadline set by NATO. Under alliance requirements, France must be able to deploy a war-ready division on its eastern flank within 30 days by 2027.
— This is the first time we have decided to use a ship. It took us two days to reach Greece and then another two to three days to cross Bulgaria – says General Maxime Do Tran, commander of the French armored brigade that took part in the exercises. Other soldiers made the journey on five planes, 11 trains and a dozen convoys.
While movement by air, land and sea was relatively smooth, “transportation by train was a little more difficult because in peacetime we didn't have priority to cross the border,” Do Tran said. It is expected next week the European Commission will present a proposal to facilitate the movement of military personnel and weapons.
The soldiers deployed equipment from across the alliance: German Eurofighter fighters, Romanian F-16s, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems missile launchers, Caesar self-propelled howitzers and Mistral air defense systems from France.
Exercise “Dacian Fall” in Romania, November 3, 2025.Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP / AFP
And drones. Lots of drones.— Dacian Fall is a very good platform for any nation to conduct experiments and test new equipment, says Maj. Gen. Tom. For the first time in large-scale exercises, Romanian military officers tested Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones. Other unmanned aerial vehicles included drones providing targeting information to troops on the ground, as well as suicide drones and models widely used in Ukraine.
Americans will leave a niche behind. “An opportunity for France and other Europeans”
NATO representatives emphasize that the United States has not left Romania. American soldiers provided air support for the exercise. “We are here as a willing partner and we will stand by Romania,” says Lt. Col. Christopher Stroup of the U.S. Air Force.
Nevertheless, the withdrawal of forces means that Romania will need its European allies to increase their presencenotes Oana Lungescu, former NATO spokeswoman and member of the Royal United Services Institute think tank. The US decision is “an opportunity for France and other Europeans to think about how they can increase their presence and show that they are actually increasing their presence,” she said.
Exercises “Dacian Fall” in RomaniaLaura Kayali / Politico
In the last three years Paris and Bucharest deepened military ties. Catherine Vautrin, France's newly appointed Minister of the Armed Forces, traveled to Romania last month on one of her first trips abroad. So far, however, Paris has not announced plans to increase its presence in Romania.
This change is an opportunity for settlement for Bucharest, which has long based its defense strategy on US support. Romania has invested heavily in US Patriot air defense systems, F-35 fighters and Abrams tanks, and has consistently prioritized the transatlantic partnership.
— Romania has been focusing on its strategic partnership with the US for decades, Lungescu emphasized. — This is also an opportunity to diversify in terms of deployment, training and capabilities.
On a cold November afternoon, at the end of the training exercise, the artillery smoke cleared and the mountains of Transylvania fell silent. French soldiers who had crossed the continent to get there were packing their belongings and preparing to return home.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
