Romania’s Defense Policy. Challenges and Development Perspectives as Part of NATO’s Eastern Flank
Romania’s Defense Policy. Challenges and Development Perspectives as Part of NATO’s Eastern Flank

Summary/Abstract: We are going through a period of continuous change. States face real challenges in adapting their defense policies to fit major developments on the international scene, that show us a real change in the balance of power International relations belong to another, much more complex, multipolar world, marked by the rise of emerging powers, such as China or India. Although the US remains a central actor on the global stage, international geopolitics is facing a nov­ elty, a diffusion of power from central actors (states) to non-state actors (international organizations or multinational companies). China’s coercive policies, the strategic competition between China and the US and the actions of the Rus­ sian Federation, in serious violation of international law, are only part of the direct threats to international security. Romania is at the intersection of multiple spheres of influence and, thus, must simultaneously respond to several types of threats, conventional (military) and non-conventional (hybrid). One of Romania’s main challenges is adapting its defense capabilities to deal with potential military conflicts and hybrid attacks (disinformation, cyber warfare). Also, the militarization of the Black Sea and the frozen conflicts in the neighborhood, make this region a critical point in Romania’s defense policy. This paper aims to analyze Romania’s position as part of NATO’s eastern flank and as a member state of the EU, which places it in a key position in a world where competition between major global players is intensifying. It also stud­ ies how the geopolitical competition between the United States and China affects the security alliances that Romania is a part of, including how NATO can reconfigure its priorities to respond to new threats in the Asia-Pacific. Last, but not least, the paper tries to identify possible perspectives for adapting Romania’s defense policy to respond to a wider spectrum of risks, from security in the Black Sea region to cyber and hybrid threats.

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