The analysis was prepared by Lavinia Teodorescu and Carmen Mitrea, under the editorial coordination of Alexandru Manda, and was presented at the roundtable we organized: Road to Ankara, held at the Palace of Parliament on 30 June 2026.
Defence Priorities for the Eastern Flank: white paper ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara
AGORA Center for Democracy publishes its new white paper: Defence Priorities for the Eastern Flank, issued ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara, 7–8 July 2026.
The paper argues that Ankara is an implementation summit for the Eastern Flank, to be measured by delivery rather than reassurance. As the Alliance moves towards a Europe-led defence model and European Allies assume greater responsibility for the continent’s security, the paper sets out seven priorities for Romania and the region: ISR drones and ground-based early warning; counter-UAS and layered short and medium range air and missile defence; indigenous critical components and materials; strategic autonomy over physical and digital critical infrastructure; enablement, military mobility and logistics; local and regional societal resilience; and political-military alignment on national strategy.
The priorities will be tested and refined during the roundtable we organize: Road to Ankara: Priorities for the Eastern Flank, which brings together decision-makers, Allied representatives, military leaders, diplomats, industry stakeholders and independent experts. Throughout the Ankara–Tirana cycle, Romania should aim to transform geography into strategic leverage.