Ukraine is outpacing us in the Carpathians, or how Romania remains in the wake of others’ geopolitics

Mihai Isac, Cotidianul, 20 September 2026

Summary

The article ‘Ukraine is outpacing us in the Carpathians, or how Romania remains in the wake of others’ geopolitics’, published by Mihai Isac in Cotidianul on 20 September 2026, analyses Bucharest’s lack of diplomatic initiative regarding the regional potential of the Carpathian region.

The main points and analyses in the text include:

• Kiev’s political and geopolitical initiative: Although Romania accounts for over half of the European Carpathians’ area, Ukraine has taken the lead and organised the first summit of the Carpathian Integration Initiative on 18 September 2026 in Ivano-Frankivsk, as well as the Carpathian Economic Forum. President Volodymyr Zelensky has brought the countries of the region together around a new architecture linking energy, transport, security, investment and European integration.
• The scale of the Ukrainian project: Kyiv presented an investment portfolio comprising 95 projects worth over 42.5 billion euros, attracting nearly 1,400 participants from 25 countries and 400 companies. The joint statement provides for annual meetings, coordination between governments and local authorities, as well as the examination of a future EU macro-regional strategy for the Carpathians. Ukraine is placing energy sustainability, infrastructure and logistics at the heart of its future reconstruction, whilst waging a war against Russia.
• The contrast with Bucharest’s position: Romania is attending the meeting at Ukraine’s invitation. Bucharest’s foreign policy message remains a familiar and standard one – the need for new roads, border crossing points, energy connections and the development of tourism. According to the author, there is a clear contrast between Romania’s immense potential (its membership of the EU and NATO, its Black Sea port infrastructure, and access to European funds) and its lack of leadership initiative.
• Bilateral projects versus regional architecture: Although there are concrete bilateral initiatives between Romania and Ukraine (such as joint drone production, the use of the European SAFE instrument and security in the Black Sea, discussed during the meeting between Zelensky and Nicușor Dan), the author draws a distinction between bilateral cooperation and the construction of a comprehensive regional framework.
• Conclusion and challenge for Romania: Geographical position, the size of the territory and membership of unions do not automatically guarantee influence. Influence is built through concrete projects, funding and the ability to attract partners. For Bucharest, the main challenge is to transform its geographical and political advantages into a coherent regional strategy, rather than remaining merely a transit territory for foreign capital, goods and energy resources.
  

Opinion

Romania accounts for over half of the European Carpathian range, yet it was Ukraine that took the political initiative to bring the region’s states together around a new project. This is the uncomfortable reality left in the wake of the first Carpathian Integration Initiative (C8) Summit, held on 18 September 2026 in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, at the initiative of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Romania attended the meeting at the invitation of Kyiv.

The difference is evident even beyond the formalities. Ukraine organised the summit, the Carpathian Economic Forum, and an agenda linking energy, transport, security, investment and European integration. The portfolio presented to investors comprises 95 projects valued at over 42.5 billion euros. Nearly 1,400 participants from 25 countries and around 400 companies attended the forum.

Bucharest delivered a message that was accurate but familiar. Specifically, we need roads, new border crossings, energy interconnections, investment, tourism and the protection of local communities.

The problem for Romanian foreign policy is the contrast between potential and initiative. Romania has the geography, EU and NATO membership, Black Sea port infrastructure and access to European funds. However, it was Kyiv that put the new diplomatic framework for the Carpathians on the table. The political class on the Dâmbovița is once again lagging behind.

Kiev is building a regional architecture

The summit declaration provides for annual meetings, coordination between governments and local authorities, energy projects, transport infrastructure, border modernisation and even the consideration of a future European Union Macro-regional Strategy for the Carpathians.

This is where the real stakes lie. Those who shape regional frameworks can influence their agenda. Those who bring projects to the table can attract investment. Those who link energy, infrastructure and reconstruction into a single vision multiply their political clout.

Ukraine is doing this whilst waging a defensive war against Russia. Zelensky has succeeded in placing energy at the heart of the project. We are talking about production, storage, and electricity and gas infrastructure. The summit declaration explicitly links energy resilience to new production and storage capacities and networks. It also incorporates transport and logistics into a joint project to connect to European infrastructure.

For Romania, these issues are fundamental. Ukraine’s reconstruction will involve huge flows of materials, machinery, energy and capital. Constanța, the Danube, Romanian Moldova and the crossings into Ukraine could become essential infrastructure for this reconstruction.

Romania therefore possesses exceptional geopolitical assets.

The challenge lies in transforming these into a coherent regional strategy, not merely listing them at summits.

Geography does not guarantee influence

There are concrete Romanian-Ukrainian projects. At the bilateral meeting between Zelensky and Nicușor Dan, discussions centred on the joint production of drones, the European SAFE instrument, and infrastructure and security in the Black Sea.

But the Carpathian Summit highlights the difference between a bilateral project and a regional architecture.

Romania has demonstrated in the past that it can participate in building such frameworks. The Three Seas Initiative and the EU Strategy for the Danube Region already provide tools that Bucharest can utilise. Now another one is emerging, launched by Ukraine.

This is precisely where the summit’s warning lies. Geography does not guarantee influence. Neither the size of a country’s territory nor its membership of the EU and NATO automatically transforms a state into the political centre of a region.

Influence stems from projects, funding, infrastructure and the ability to rally other capitals around a common agenda.

Ukraine has taken the first step and placed the Carpathians on the European geopolitical agenda. For Bucharest, the challenge is to come up with projects large enough to ensure that Romania is not merely the country through which other nations’ roads, energy and goods pass.

Romania has the Carpathians. Now it must transform this geographical advantage into a political initiative.

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