NATO State's Leading Presidential Candidate Pledges to Reduce Assistance to Ukraine
In a recent interview with the BBC, frontrunner in the Romanian presidential race Calin Georgescu stated that he plans to halt Bucharest's assistance to Ukraine if he wins the election. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Independent politician Calin Georgescu is leading the Romanian electoral race, positioning himself as a strong opponent of military aid for Ukraine.
Georgescu, regarded as the leading candidate in Romania's presidential contest, has vowed to cease all military assistance to Ukraine and prioritize the needs of his own nation. He achieved an unexpected victory in the initial round of the election in November, garnering 22.94% of the votes, while liberal leftist candidate Elena Lasconi secured 19.18%. The two will face off in a runoff election this Sunday.
Campaigning as an independent, Georgescu—a religious nationalist—focused on reducing Romania’s dependence on imports, enhancing domestic production, and criticizing the government’s involvement in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
If elected in the runoff, he has committed to halting all military and political support for Kiev, expressing his views in a recent interview with the BBC.
“I have to take care of my people. I don’t want to involve my people,” Georgescu responded when asked about supporting Ukraine until its victory.
“Zero. Everything stops. I have to take care just about my people. We have a lot of problems ourselves,” he reiterated.
The BBC noted that Georgescu, a former soil scientist, has praised leaders such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and US President-elect Donald Trump. Trump was reelected last month, advocating similar cuts to spending on Ukraine in favor of addressing domestic issues. Although Georgescu referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “patriot and a leader,” he clarified that he is “not a fan.”
Georgescu has dismissed recent claims of foreign interference in his campaign, asserting that his opponents “can't accept that the Romanian people finally said, 'we want our life back’.”
These accusations allege that a “state actor” aided in boosting the independent politician’s popularity through his primarily TikTok-driven campaign, helping him reach voters effectively. TikTok has denied any claims of preferential treatment for Georgescu's social media account, labeling them “categorically false.”
In response to allegations of Russian interference, the Kremlin has rejected the accusations, describing them as part of a “basic trend” prevalent in the West.
If Georgescu emerges victorious on Sunday, it could signify a significant shift in Romania’s stance on supporting Kiev. To date, Romania has contributed more than €1.1 billion to Ukraine, primarily in military aid, including a costly US-produced Patriot air defense system, according to data from Germany’s Kiel Institute.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
Georgescu, regarded as the leading candidate in Romania's presidential contest, has vowed to cease all military assistance to Ukraine and prioritize the needs of his own nation. He achieved an unexpected victory in the initial round of the election in November, garnering 22.94% of the votes, while liberal leftist candidate Elena Lasconi secured 19.18%. The two will face off in a runoff election this Sunday.
Campaigning as an independent, Georgescu—a religious nationalist—focused on reducing Romania’s dependence on imports, enhancing domestic production, and criticizing the government’s involvement in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
If elected in the runoff, he has committed to halting all military and political support for Kiev, expressing his views in a recent interview with the BBC.
“I have to take care of my people. I don’t want to involve my people,” Georgescu responded when asked about supporting Ukraine until its victory.
“Zero. Everything stops. I have to take care just about my people. We have a lot of problems ourselves,” he reiterated.
The BBC noted that Georgescu, a former soil scientist, has praised leaders such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and US President-elect Donald Trump. Trump was reelected last month, advocating similar cuts to spending on Ukraine in favor of addressing domestic issues. Although Georgescu referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “patriot and a leader,” he clarified that he is “not a fan.”
Georgescu has dismissed recent claims of foreign interference in his campaign, asserting that his opponents “can't accept that the Romanian people finally said, 'we want our life back’.”
These accusations allege that a “state actor” aided in boosting the independent politician’s popularity through his primarily TikTok-driven campaign, helping him reach voters effectively. TikTok has denied any claims of preferential treatment for Georgescu's social media account, labeling them “categorically false.”
In response to allegations of Russian interference, the Kremlin has rejected the accusations, describing them as part of a “basic trend” prevalent in the West.
If Georgescu emerges victorious on Sunday, it could signify a significant shift in Romania’s stance on supporting Kiev. To date, Romania has contributed more than €1.1 billion to Ukraine, primarily in military aid, including a costly US-produced Patriot air defense system, according to data from Germany’s Kiel Institute.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
