NATO will activate a second major coordination and transit hub for military assistance to Ukraine on Romanian territory starting in January 2026. The decision was confirmed by Maj. Gen. Maik Keller, deputy commander of NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), according to Defense Romania.
The move is intended to reduce reliance on a single major logistics node. NATO officials have pointed to the risks and vulnerabilities created by dependence on one primary entry point through Poland, with the Romanian hub designed to strengthen logistical resilience across the eastern flank.
Romanian site to complement existing Polish hub
The new hub will operate alongside the existing logistics center in Rzeszów, Poland, which has so far served as the main entry point for military aid to Ukraine.
The Romanian site will fall under direct NATO command and be fully integrated into NSATU’s system for coordinating donor supplies with Ukraine’s operational needs.
220,000 tonnes of aid transited in 2025
Keller said NSATU facilitated the transit of about 220,000 tonnes of military assistance in 2025. The effort involved roughly 9,000 truck movements, 1,800 rail wagons, and more than 500 strategic airlift flights.
The Romanian hub is expected to become operational by the end of January, providing a southern transit route for supplies to eastern and southern Ukraine. It will support the coordination of artillery, air defense, and electronic warfare systems.
Ukraine's needs shift toward longer-range systems
The expansion comes as Ukraine’s military requirements increasingly focus on longer-range strike capabilities and systems intended to hit Russian military infrastructure far behind the front line.
Longer-term continuity is reinforced by the US National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, which allocates $800 million to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to fund contracts with US defense companies.
Keller said current transit volumes are calculated to sustain Ukrainian forces against a prolonged Russian offensive, even as overall demand continues to exceed available supply.
