Romania's Supreme Defence Council convenes amid political tensions to set NATO summit objectives and approve 2027 external missions

Political backdrop

President Nicușor Dan called the Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) to meet on Monday at 15:00 at Cotroceni Palace, a session that unfolds against a sharp political dispute with Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. The president recently designated Adrian Veștea as prime minister, bypassing the National Liberal Party (PNL). Bolojan denounced the move as a hostile gesture, according to G4Media.

“It was a hostile gesture by the president.”

The CSAT meeting, convened on Friday, is the first high-level security gathering since the rift opened. Both the president and the prime minister are statutory members of the council, making the session a direct encounter between the two leaders.

Agenda

Romania's Presidential Administration published the official agenda, which centres on two main items. First, the council will set the country's objectives for the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara. Second, members will approve the forces and means the Romanian Army can make available for missions and operations outside national territory in 2027.

“The agenda includes subjects regarding: Romania's objectives at the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara; the forces and means of the Romanian Army that can be made available for participation in missions and operations outside Romanian territory in 2027; implications for the continuity of air navigation services and for airspace security in the context of the suspension of ROMATSA's air navigation service provider certificate.”

Both decisions shape the country's defence posture for the coming year and signal Bucharest's commitments within the Alliance.

ROMATSA airspace concerns

A third item addresses the continuity of air navigation services and airspace security after the suspension of ROMATSA's air navigation service provider certificate. The suspension stems from Sentence no. 360 issued on 27 February 2026. The CSAT will analyse the implications for civilian and military air traffic, a topic that has drawn attention from aviation and defence officials. ROMATSA, the Romanian Air Traffic Services Administration, is responsible for managing the country's airspace, and any disruption to its certification could affect both commercial flights and NATO operations in the region.

Broader security review

The administration noted that the council will also examine other current national security topics, without specifying them. The meeting thus serves as a broader review of Romania's security environment, with the NATO summit and external deployments as the headline items. The session is expected to last several hours, and no press statements have been announced.