Nearly seven in ten Romanians said they are worried about the possibility of the country being drawn into a war in the coming years, according to the recently released National Security Barometer. At the same time, just over half still consider Romania a safe country from a national security perspective.

The study, conducted by INSCOP Research at the request of Strategic Thinking Group, is based on two survey waves carried out between late February and mid-March 2026 on representative samples of 1,100 respondents each.

Concerns about security have intensified in recent weeks. The share of respondents who said they are “very worried” about Romania’s possible involvement in a war rose from 31% before the escalation of tensions in the Middle East (February 23-27) to 36.9% in early March. Overall, 68% of respondents expressed at least some level of concern.

Despite these fears, perceptions of safety remain relatively balanced, the survey found. Around 51.1% of Romanians describe the country as either “very safe” or “rather safe,” while roughly 46% see it as unsafe to varying degrees.

When asked about the biggest threats to national security, respondents pointed first to domestic issues. Corruption was cited by 35.3% as the main risk, followed by disinformation and manipulation (19.4%), and economic instability (18.7%). External threats such as military aggression were mentioned by just 5.8% of respondents.

The survey also revealed strong support for Romania’s Western orientation. Nearly 77% believe the country should align with the European Union, the United States, and NATO, while only 10.1% favor a shift toward Eastern powers such as Russia or China.

Public backing for NATO membership remains high, with 84.4% opposing any exit from the alliance. Similarly, 74.4% of respondents reject the idea of leaving the European Union. 

At the same time, Romanians showed caution toward more sensitive defense policies. A majority oppose hosting nuclear weapons on Romanian territory, while opinions are divided on participating in a potential extension of France’s nuclear umbrella.

Trust in international partners varies, with the United States ranking highest at 55.8%, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland (over 41%). At the lower end, trust levels are significantly lower for Ukraine and Russia.

The study also found continued reliance on NATO for security. Around 38.3% of respondents believe the alliance would play the primary role in defending Romania in case of an attack, while 75.6% expect the United States to honor NATO’s collective defense clause.

Meanwhile, support for increased defense spending is also strong, with more than three-quarters of respondents backing higher military budgets to strengthen national security.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Emil Oprisa/Dreamstime.com)