Romania is on the brink of a significant shift in its foreign policy under the candidacy of Calin Georgescu, a far-right politician leading the presidential race. In an interview with the BBC, Georgescu stated that if elected, he would end all support for Ukraine, marking a dramatic change from Romania’s stance since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Georgescu has been accused by Romanian intelligence agencies and critics of being influenced by Russia, citing “state actors” behind his social media surge. However, Georgescu denies these claims, attributing his success to the support of the Romanian people and God.
The outgoing president of Romania published declassified documents revealing a massive campaign on TikTok coordinated by a Russian “state actor.” This has led to constitutional court requests and a criminal investigation being launched into alleged meddling with the election.
If elected, Georgescu’s presidency would signal a shift in Romania’s stance towards Russia, putting it at odds with EU solidarity on Ukraine. The country shares a long border with Ukraine and has been providing military support, including a Patriot missile defence system.
Georgescu maintains that he will keep Romania inside the EU and NATO but emphasizes negotiations focused on his country’s interests. His views on Vladimir Putin have also sparked concerns, as he described the Russian president as “a patriot and a leader” while downplaying Russia’s security threat to the West.
Protesters in Bucharest are increasingly concerned about the direction their country may be taking, with many holding up EU flags and chanting slogans like “Freedom!” and “Europe!”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg6l06ldpqo