A restructuring of both NATO and US defence posture appears as a direct consequence of the evolution of the international security framework, given the diversification both of the nature and of the geographical distribution of the sources of the risks and challenges. Situated at the eastern border of NATO (and of the EU), Romania represents a natural outpost in the efforts to combat potential threats coming from various regions, such as the Middle East or central Asia. The agreement concluded between Romania and the US in 2005 that allows American troops to use military facilities on Romanian territory appears, therefore, as a decision based on the necessity to be closer to the potential threats in order to be able to combat them more effectively. The decision to sign the bilateral agreement should be assessed in connection with both the process of NATO transformation and the adaptation of Romanian defence sector to the requirements of the country's status as a NATO member on the Alliance's border.