Eastern European nations are launching a renewed diplomatic push to extend NATO’s Cold War-era fuel pipeline network eastward, seeking to fortify the alliance’s military readiness as the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year.

Poland and Romania are leading the initiative to expand the NATO Pipeline System (NPS), a 10,000-kilometer (6,200-mile) underground network that currently terminates in Germany. 

Sources familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, say the proposal has gained fresh urgency ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara this July.

The existing network links military airbases, refineries, and depots across 12 nations. It is designed to handle rapid surges in fuel demand, particularly for airlift and air-to-air refueling. 

However, the alliance’s eastern flank currently relies on a fragmented patchwork of national systems that lack NATO’s collective funding and centralized infrastructure.

"The alliance continues to rely on a fragmented system for essential supplies that could become critical in case of a sudden outbreak of hostilities," one source noted, citing fears that regional conflicts, including the war in Iran, could trigger fuel shortages.

 In February 2025, media reports revealed that NATO was considering building a fuel pipeline network linking Germany to Poland and the Czech Republic to ensure a swift supply of jet fuel to the fighter aircraft in the event of a NATO conflict with Russia. 

The expansion faces significant financial and logistical hurdles. 

A study by the Centre for Eastern Studies in Warsaw indicates that connecting the Eastern European strands to the existing Central European Pipeline System would require unanimous approval from all NATO members, including the United States.

Current proposals focus on two primary pillars to make the project feasible:

• The Polish Extension: Connecting the central network to Poland at an estimated cost of €5.5 billion ($6.4 billion)
• The Southern Link: A €6 billion ($6.9 billion) project to connect Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania.

While a total expansion of the eastern-flank network could cost upwards of €21 billion ($24.5 billion) and take 25 years to complete, officials hope to announce concrete preliminary plans in Ankara.

A NATO official stated that allies remain committed to "secure and resilient energy supplies" to ensure collective deterrence, though they declined to provide specific operational details.