The Chief of the Romanian Army, General Gheorghiță Vlad: "An area of Romania is not covered by Article 5 of NATO"

General Gheorghiță Vlad, the head of the Romanian Army, stated that Romania's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea is not covered by Article 5 of NATO, which means that an attack or act of sabotage would not automatically trigger support from allies. He emphasized the need to equip the Naval Forces to protect critical infrastructure, including the Neptun Deep platform, which will become operational in 2027. The general mentioned the risks of Russian interference in the context of the critical situation in Ukraine, which could include overflights or Russian ships. Expert George Scutaru added that Romania needs to strengthen its naval capabilities, warning that Russia could cause problems in the exclusive economic zone, where Romania has major energy interests.