Foreign policy of Romania before World War I
The foreign policy of Romania in the years preceding the outbreak of World War I was characterized by the nation's need to contend with the rise and shifting rivalries of the Great Powers of the pre-war era. Its primary objectives were to maintain its territorial integrity and maintain friendly relations with neighboring nations. This culminated in Romania secretly joining the Triple Alliance in 1883. However, the nation would later reverse course, declaring neutrality for the first two years of the war before entering on the side of the Triple Entente in 1916. Context At the beginning of the 20th century, the state of international affairs in Europe was characterized as being a "fight of all against all". Relations with the Balkan states The development of relations with the Balkan states was one of the foreign policy priorities of Romania in the period following its independence in 1878. The nature of these relations varied, being influenced by the evolution of the political, economic and security interests of Romania; the attitudes of the governments of Greece, Serbia, Turkey, and Bulgaria toward the country; and the relations of these countries with the two major alliances on the continent. Romania's main strategic priorities during