- It has been ten years since Ukraine fought against the Russian Federation to recover the Crimean peninsula and the Donbas region from Russian occupation.
- Meanwhile, most Eastern European countries are preparing to reintroduce conscription for fear of a possible Russian remote attack or invasion.
- European governments believe that only by increasing military forces, Russia could be deterred from committing acts of aggression on the Euro-Atlantic area.
Romania is among the NATO member countries that has increased its defense budget, but has a deficit of almost half of its officers. A quarter of candidates interested in joining the Romanian Army failed physical tests, such as endurance running. Only 40% managed to pass the tests. 18% failed the psychological tests.
Salaries are low compared to the European average. They don’t even reach the equivalent of 1,000 euros, insufficient to cope with inflation. The lowest monthly salary for a professional soldier at the time of employment is 4,399 lei, made up of the net monthly salary of 3,345 lei and the food allowance that reaches only 1,054 lei. According to a report published last year by the Recorder, many soldiers are resigning because of the terrible conditions and low income.
In the event of a long-range war with Russia (with aerial bombing), rather, Romania would need a large number of aviation pilots and air defense system operators who know how to use drones and launch missiles for defense than infantrymen. Unfortunately, in this chapter too, Romania is doing poorly. Only one of the four Patriot systems is operational.
Many able-bodied adults are overweight. Between 10 and 30% of Romanians would flee the country in case of war
The minimum age from which a young male or female can enter the army is 18 years. Annually, 227,089 young people reach the minimum age to join the Romanian Army. The Romanian Army consists of 71,500 active soldiers and 55,000 reservists. According to some statistics from 2021, more than 9 million Romanian citizens, aged between 18 and 50, could be fit for the army. Compulsory military service was abolished in 2007.
But according to the report published by the WHO and cited by Europa Liberă, approximately 58% of Romanian adults are overweight, most of them being unable to perform rudimentary tasks in military operations. According to a survey published by Libertatea in 2022, only 36.3% of those interviewed answered that they would participate, as best they could, in the defense of the country in the event of an attack. 33.2% said they would wait and see how the situation unfolded. 29.1% said they would leave the country and hide in a safer place.
In 2024, according to an IRES survey cited by PRO TV, 10% of Romanians say they would flee the country, 38% would join the army to defend their homeland, and 44% would stay in the country, but would not involve in defense. According to an Avangarde poll, cited by G4Media, 58% of Romanians oppose the reintroduction of compulsory military service. Those who answered that they would leave the country, presented the following reasons: “Why are more than 60 percent of Romanians not in a hurry to risk their lives for the country?” “It’s normal for the military to go to war, not ordinary people”, “I have obligations first and foremost to my family, not to the country”, “I don’t go to war to defend the fortunes of the corrupt and swindlers fleeing the country”, ” We have nothing to defend, Romania is in the hands of foreigners anyway”.
How many soldiers does the Romanian Army need?
According to retired general Virgil Bălăceanu, Romania, with 60,000-70,000 active military personnel, can face a force of 150,000-200,000 soldiers, as many as Russia used in the first weeks of the invasion of Ukraine. Our country would hold out until the arrival of reinforcements from other NATO member states.
But if Russia were to mobilize an army of half a million soldiers, Romania would need about 200,000 soldiers. The general told Adevărul that the army reserve must be restored on voluntary principles in order not to reintroduce mandatory military service. He also claims that Romania needs a permanent naval grouping in the Black Sea.
According to one scenario, the exposure of the region to the Russian invaders could lead to the conquest of Bucharest and the capitulation of Romania in a maximum of 24 hours to the Russian forces, according to the scenario published by Il Messaggero. Although he praised Romania as an example of contributing to collective defense, the retired American general Ben Hodges says that our country has a “pathetic infrastructure”. Romania’s railways and roads, in poor condition, would prevent troops from other NATO countries from arriving quickly.
The university professor Valentin Stan: “America defends whom it wants”
According to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an attack against a NATO member state is considered an attack against all NATO member states:
“pthe parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them, in Europe or North America, shall be considered an attack against all“.
However, it is specified that “necessary measures will be taken to restore international peace and security” and “the implementation of of any action it deems necessary” in the Security Council. NATO member states can support another member state under attack with actions they see fit “need”such as the supply of ammunition, combat and defense equipment, food, money and medicine.
Valentin Stan, university professor of history and political analyst, said on the Marius Tucă Show, from 1:13:00, that the United States will not conventionally fight directly with other nuclear powers, such as Russia and China, in the context in which the government in Kiev complained that it was not defended by NATO against Russian aerial bombardment as Israel was in the case of Iranian bombing. Israel has no security guarantees from the US. John Kirby, US national security adviser, says that “there will be no American boots on the ground in Ukraine. The president was very clear. The US n use will engage in a combat role in the war in Ukraine”.
“Do you know why nuclear weapons were invented, dear Romanians? Let me tell you. Not that there was necessarily more peace, although there was, because of nuclear weapons. The Cold War in Europe was the longest period of peace in the history of the continent where you did not have wars. But essentially, nuclear weapons were invented to keep nuclear-armed great powers from going to war against each other. Does anyone imagine that the US goes to war with China and we stay here? Or do we start a conventional fight with Russia, beat the Russians, occupy their country, while the Russians sit on the button? Romanians, you will not see wars between nuclear powers. If Russia invades you tomorrow, which is not going to happen, I’ll give you a hypothetical, if Russia invades you tomorrow, America will never defend you against Russia. America does not defend anyone from a treaty, from a piece of paper, it defends only according to its interests. You are not in her best interests. A nuclear power will never go to war, even conventionally, against another nuclear power.”
Romania is quietly preparing to reintroduce the mandatory army
According to a recent article published by Digi24, “Romania is discreetly preparing for the reintroduction of compulsory military service”. The situation of the combat capacity of the Romanian Army is analyzed in the leadership structures of the Ministry of National Defense and in the CSAT meetings, after the statements made by the Minister of Defense, Angel Tilvăr (PSD).
The President of the Senate, Nicolae Ciucă (PNL), declared that Romania does not have an infrastructure ready for the introduction of compulsory military service. The salary level would be the main cause of the staff shortage. The Chief of the Defense Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad, stated for Free Europe that young people up to the age of 35 could do military training for four months, voluntarily, in the MAPN military units.
Klaus Iohannis, the president of Romania, in February 2020, a month before the restrictions were implemented, initially stated about the coronavirus pandemic, “that the situation regarding the coronavirus must be treated with all seriousness, but there is no real reason to panic”. While most European states, including Switzerland which renounces its neutrality, take seriously the threat of Russian aggression and propose the reintroduction of compulsory military service, the President of Romania declared:
“I have not thought about compulsory conscription and I will not advance such a thing. It is a very clear matter. Otherwise, I think there needs to be more information and attractiveness in the military career, as well as attractive pay and positive publicity.”
Bulgaria, Poland and Germany are preparing to increase herds. In Latvia, the army has become compulsory, and the Russians are expelled
In Bulgaria, the defense ministry maintains that the country has sufficient resources, even though conscription was abolished in 2007. The reserve is aging. However, the ministry said it was thinking about how to “refresh and rejuvenate” it, according to the statements of the acting Minister of Defense, Atanas Zapryanov, during a conference in Parliament. According to him, a 30% increase in the salaries of military personnel will help replenish the stock.
In Germany, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius supports the reintroduction of compulsory military service, but the precise implementation of this model is difficult, writes Der Spiegel. In Sweden, about 10% of students are drafted into the army. Poland is poised to reintroduce compulsory military service, even though the Polish armed forces have seen a record number of recruits since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In Denmark, women will be required to do military service from 2026.
In Latvia, the Parliament last year approved a law to reintroduce compulsory military service. The first recruits began training in the summer of 2023. The Baltic country is already in a hybrid war with the Russian Federation due to massive cyber attacks. In response to Russian aggression, Latvia expels all Russians who do not learn the Latvian language.
