Some guy online is upset that Romania made a “bad deal” by donating a Patriot system to Ukraine and getting another one in return. He wonders how we ended up with a budget deficit after such “generosity.” Let’s take a deep breath and revisit this.

The Patriot system didn’t cost Romania a billion. We read headlines, understand nothing, and somehow that scares me almost as much as the fact that we’re dividing a billion by 40 Ukrainians dying each day and still getting decimals.

Market value? About $300 million. What we actually paid? Around $60 million. The rest – over 80% – was picked up by Norway and Sweden. It was a gentlemen’s agreement between allies: we send the system, they foot the bill, and the Americans replace it with a newer one. That’s what solidarity in a military alliance looks like, rather than some drunk pub logic deal.

We’re not just staying covered – we’re getting an upgrade. The old system goes to Ukraine, where it’s actually needed – where civilians are dying under missile fire, not under hot takes.

As for the deficit: Romania’s budget is bleeding for other reasons. This donation is a drop in a sea of chaotic spending. When your deficit is 150 billion lei and this costs under 300 million, blaming the Patriot for it is like blaming a glass of water for a flood.

Bottom line: Romania sent expensive gear, but not on its own dime. This wasn’t a pity gift – it was a strategic move, with a guaranteed replacement. We got reputation, support, and better hardware. Ukraine got a bit more air cover. And we got a quieter border – because war tastes differently when you are in Kyiv versus when you’re at a terrace on the Dorobanți street.

If you stil think this was a bad deal, you likely don’t understand how the real world works. Or alliances. Or wars.