Romania will not send troops to Ukraine, but is preparing as if for a war, says the Chief of the Romanian Army General Staff.

General Gheorghiță Vlad, the Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Army, stated that Romania will not send troops to Ukraine, but is preparing as if for a war. The mobilization exercise of reservists recently held in Bucharest and Ilfov had a participation rate of 83%, with over 10,000 reservists called up. Although the exercise achieved its objectives, the general mentioned a significant vulnerability, emphasizing that the Romanian Army has not developed at the necessary pace over the last 20 years.

The feedback from the reservists was positive, with a satisfaction score of 4.65 out of 5, but issues in strategic communication were highlighted, as the message about the exercise did not effectively reach citizens. The general emphasized the need for better institutional communication and addressed the disinformation surrounding the exercise. The next exercise will take place next year, but it will not become an annual event, according to representatives of the Ministry of National Defense.