Romania should increase its defense spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product from 2% at present, President Klaus Iohannis said, Reuters reported.

According to him, the decision to increase defense spending requires the approval of the government and parliament, but the strategic goal is to increase spending.

Romania, a member of the European Union and NATO, has a 650 km border with Ukraine. Some 90,000 Ukrainians crossed the Romanian border in the first five days of the invasion.

The current security crisis shows us that it is necessary to increase the defense capability of the Romanian state, Iohannis said, adding that Bucharest would create a hub on its territory for receiving and transporting international humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

More than 3,000 NATO troops are currently stationed in Romania, mostly American, but also a group of 500 soldiers from France, who will lead the NATO inter-army task force in Romania.