Romania's Presidential Candidate Promises Zero Support for Ukraine, Focus on National Interests

Calin Georgescu, the unexpected frontrunner in Romania's presidential elections, has pledged to halt all support for Ukraine if he secures victory in the upcoming runoff against pro-European candidate Elena Lasconi. Speaking to the BBC, Georgescu emphasized his commitment to prioritizing "the Romanian people" and dismissed claims that his campaign's success stemmed from Russian interference as baseless.

Romania's outgoing president, Klaus Iohannis, released declassified documents this week detailing what he described as a large-scale, state-coordinated TikTok campaign supporting Georgescu. The intelligence report suggested that Russia had launched hybrid operations targeting Romania, which it considers an "enemy state." Prosecutors have since opened a criminal investigation into alleged election interference, though no timeline has been provided for its conclusion. Georgescu, however, brushed off these accusations, asserting that Romanian intelligence agencies' claims are lies. He portrayed himself as a defender of national sovereignty against an entrenched political establishment, stating, "They cannot accept that the Romanian people have finally said: 'We want our lives back, our country, our dignity.'"

Georgescu, whose campaign relied heavily on social media, has gained support with his populist rhetoric. In his BBC interview, he described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "patriot and a leader," though he added, "But I am not a fan." He refused to label Russia as a threat to Western security and minimized its invasion of Ukraine, disputing the use of the term "war." Georgescu insisted that Romania's sole focus should be maintaining peace along its borders and refrained from endorsing EU solidarity...