Isopescu-Grecul maintained his support for the status-quo during the early stages of World War I, while Romania remained neutral but hostile toward Austria. He openly disapproved of Bukovinians who considered union with Romania. He also deplored the growth of anti-Austrian sentiment in Romania-proper, insisting that it was being stoked by the Russian Empire. In November 1914, a reserve "Unterleutnant" in the Austro-Hungarian Army, he was promoted to "Oberleutnant-Auditor" by the emperor himself.