[13][14] During the summit, the terrorist threat alert was raised from blue level (caution) to yellow (moderate), with the necessary measures taken by the institutions of the Romanian state.

The role of the 323d was to direct and coordinate the deployment of American aircraft, as well as support, maintenance, operations and medical personnel across eastern Europe.

[18] The deployment included F-15E Strike Eagle fighters at Câmpia Turzii in Romania,[19] and at Graf Ignatievo in Bulgaria,[20] as well as KC-135 Stratotankers at the Budapest International Airport in Hungary.

[21] For the duration of the summit, the fighter jets remained on high alert and conducted combat air patrols over Bucharest, providing a show of force to repel any threats.

[28] While under the terms of the Interim Accord, signed between the two parties in 1995, Greece agreed not to block "membership in international, multilateral and regional organizations and institutions" under the acronym "FYROM",[29] Greece expected that the country would immediately request recognition by its constitutional name once it gained entry into the organization.

[34][35] Senior officials in Macedonia asserted that the country had fulfilled NATO requirements to join and was being "punished" for its identity.

[37] [further explanation needed] Russian President Vladimir Putin was invited to the summit, and he arrived on the second day (3 April) to participate in bilateral NATO–Russia talks.