Romania Unveils 2025–2030 National Defence Strategy Emphasising “Solidary Independence”

Romania has released its new National Defense Strategy for 2025–2030, a document that marks a notable shift in Bucharest’s security thinking: the Romanian citizen is placed at the core of national resilience, and corruption is explicitly defined as a major security threat.

President Nicușor Dan presented the strategy in Bucharest, stressing that while Romania has advanced economically and socially since 1989, the strategic environment around it has become increasingly unstable. The war in Ukraine, Russian hybrid activities, competition in emerging technologies, and geopolitical pressure in the Black Sea region all shape Romania’s threat landscape.

Citizens as Strategic Actors

Unlike previous documents, the new strategy emphasises that citizens are not merely recipients of state protection but the primary actors in national security. Strengthening public trust is presented as a prerequisite for any credible defense posture.

The document calls for:

• full digitalisation of public services,
• reduction of bureaucracy,
• transparent budgeting,
• strict merit-based recruitment in public institutions,
• and economic freedom as a “pillar of national stability.”

Corruption as a Security Threat

The strategy takes an unusually direct tone on internal vulnerabilities.
According to the presidency, corruption undermines the state’s defensive capacity and weakens the relationship between citizens and institutions. The message is blunt: a society will defend a state it trusts; it will hesitate to defend one it perceives as corrupt.

External Threats: Russia, Hybrid Warfare, Strategic Competition

The strategy identifies Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as the defining threat shaping European security, especially in the Black Sea area.
It also highlights:

• hybrid warfare,
• disinformation campaigns,
• cyberattacks on critical infrastructure,
• and competition in AI and advanced technologies.

Strategic Orientation: NATO, EU, U.S. Partnership

The core pillars of Romania’s geopolitical alignment remain unchanged:

• strong NATO integration,
• EU cooperation on defense,
• strategic partnership with the United States,
• sustained support for Moldova and Ukraine.

The presidency introduces a guiding concept of “solidary independence” — Romania acting in line with its national interests while remaining a reliable ally within NATO and the EU.

Adoption Timeline

The strategy is undergoing public consultation and is set to be approved by the Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) on 24 November.
It will then be presented to the Romanian Parliament on 27 November, followed by a classified implementation plan detailing timelines and reporting obligations.