The conference "Romania’s Defense in the Fourth Year of War: Defense Industry and the Reaffirmation of Euro-Atlantic Alliances", organized by DC MEDIA GROUP, takes place at a pivotal moment for regional and European security. As the Russian Federation’s military aggression against Ukraine enters its fourth year, Romania — an EU and NATO border state with the longest land frontier with Ukraine — holds a significant responsibility in securing the Eastern Flank.

This event aims to establish a platform for dialogue among policymakers, experts, and industry representatives, to assess how Romania is adapting to the most severe European security crisis since World War II.

In a swiftly evolving geopolitical environment, the national defense industry must not only adapt but become a key pillar of strategic resilience. The conference will focus on revitalizing the sector through transatlantic partnerships, attracting investments, and integrating into European supply chains with the support of EU defense funds. Furthermore, Romania’s reaffirmation of its commitment to strategic partners—particularly NATO and the United States — is vital to consolidating a sustainable regional security architecture.

• Security risk assessment along Romania’s borders in the fourth year of the war in Ukraine
• The Black Sea as a key strategic and economic theater of the war
• The Republic of Moldova as part of the extended Black Sea region and its dependency on Romania and Europe
• The Romanian defense industry: navigating reform, operational needs, and global competitiveness
• How can EU funding revitalize the national defense industry? Opportunities under the European Defence Fund and other instruments
• The critical role of the Romania–U.S. Strategic Partnership in developing defense capabilities and technology transfer
• Military procurement and industrial cooperation: How can defense budgets drive economic growth?
• Security diplomacy and the reaffirmation of Euro-Atlantic commitments: Romania’s position in a new global order
• Regional defense cooperation: from the Three Seas Initiative to the Visegrád Group and collaboration with Ukraine

Moderators: Bogdan CHIRIEAC, Foreign Policy Analyst

                      Tudor CURTIFAN, Editor in Chief Defense Romania

• 10:30 - 11:00 - Registration & Welcome Coffee
• 11:00 - 11:10 - Keynote Speech: Angel TÎLVĂR, Minister of National Defense
• 11:10 - 12:30 PANEL SESSION: Alliances, engagements and strategic diplomacy

Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of allied countries will discuss the war of aggression against Ukraine, the security situation in the region and the Alliance's objectives ahead of the NATO Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands (24-25 June).

• H.E. Ihor PROKOPCHUK, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Romania
• H.E. Willemijn VAN HAAFTEN, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Romania
• H.E. Özgür Kıvanç ALTAN, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Romania
• H.E. Radko Todorov VLAYKOV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to Romania
• H.E. Alfredo DURANTE MANGONI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Italy to Romania
• H.E. Roberto MUSNECI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Romania
• H.E. Kap-soo RIM, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Romania
• H.E. Adrian ZUCKERMAN, Former U.S. Ambassador to Romania ONLINE

• 12:30 - 12:40 - Coffee break
• 12:40 - 13:50 PANEL SESSION: The Romanian Defense Industry: The Challenges of Border War, Revitalization and Industrial cooperation

The panel will bring together representatives of the Romanian state and members of the business sector in Romania’s defense industry to discuss the challenges the industry faces in achieving its revitalization objectives, as well as partnerships with the defense industries of allied countries, in the context of new military threats and the gradual, consistent increase in the percentage of GDP allocated to defense since the NATO Summit in Wales (2014).

• Ștefan-Radu OPREA, Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister
• General (Ret.) Gheorghe SAVU, CEng, Ph.D, Director Damen Naval Romania
• Nicoleta PAULIUC, Chair of the Committee on Defense, Public Order and National Security, Romanian Senate
• Cristina DRAGOMIRESCU, Vice-President of the Romanian Agency for Technological and Industrial Cooperation for Security and Defense
• Cătălin PODARU, CEO Leviatan Group
• Col. (Ret.) Gelu VASILE, Eng., First Vice President, PATROMIL
• Andrei SCOBIOALĂ, Chairman Automecanica Mediaș
• Sorin ENCUȚESCU, Coordinator of the National Defense Industry Strategy Development Task Force

• 13:50-14:00 - Coffee break
• 14:00 - 15:00 PANEL SESSION: Diplomacy, Security and the Reaffirmation of Euro-Atlantic commitments. Romania and the Black Sea in the face of War-related challenges

The panel will bring together officials and distinguished experts to provide a comprehensive analysis of the security landscape in the wider Black Sea region, more than three years after the onset of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Discussions will focus on the strategic relevance of Euro-Atlantic relations, the evolving regional challenges, and potential avenues for resolving the conflict in Ukraine, in anticipation of The NATO Summit in the Hague (June 24-25)

• Cristian DIACONESCU, Presidential Adviser - Department of National Security, Head of the Chancellery of the President
• Prof. Iulian CHIFU, Ph.D, Security Expert, President of the Center for Conflict Prevention and Early Warning and former Presidential Advisor on National Security Affairs
• Prof. Ioan Mircea PAȘCU, Ph.D,, Professor at the Department of International Relations and European Integration at National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and former Minister of National Defense
• Ioana CONSTANTIN-BERCEAN, Ph.D, International affair professional and Scientific Researcher
• Ștefan POPESCU, Ph.D, National Security Expert and former Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• 15:00 - 15:30 – NETWORKING LUNCH