Romania has agreed to allow the U.S. military to use an airbase near the Black Sea as a key logistics hub for getting supplies and troops into and out of Afghanistan.
Pentagon officials said the agreement reached Friday will allow them to move their operations away from Kyrgyzstan, where lawmakers had voted not to renew the U.S. lease at Manas airbase beyond July 2014.
The United States is working on pulling out most of its combat forces and equipment from Afghanistan by the end of next year.
Washington, however, hopes to keep a few thousand troops in Afghanistan after next year's deadline, but has yet to forge an agreement with the government in Kabul.
Pentagon officials said the agreement reached Friday will allow them to move their operations away from Kyrgyzstan, where lawmakers had voted not to renew the U.S. lease at Manas airbase beyond July 2014.
The United States is working on pulling out most of its combat forces and equipment from Afghanistan by the end of next year.
Washington, however, hopes to keep a few thousand troops in Afghanistan after next year's deadline, but has yet to forge an agreement with the government in Kabul.
