The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has responded to statements made by Romanian presidential candidate Kalin Georgescu, who referred to Ukraine as a "fictional state." The Ukrainian foreign ministry noted that the Romanian politician is fully echoing Russian propaganda. The corresponding statement was published on the website of the Ukrainian MFA on Thursday, January 30.
Outrageous remarks about Ukraine were made by Romanian politician and presidential candidate Kalin Georgescu during a conversation with journalist Ion Cristoiu, as reported by “European Truth.” In particular, according to the far-right politician, the division of Ukraine after the war is "inevitable," and the state itself is "fictional."
“The world is changing. Borders will change. Moreover – if borders change, where will we be? We have Northern Bukovina – an interest. We have Budjak, we have Northern Maramureș – right? From the former... what was it called... Transcarpathia! There are also Hungarians... Lviv, which will remain with the Poles, and Little Russia... Ukraine is a fictional state. This is the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic!”, stated Kalin Georgescu.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry firmly condemned Kalin Georgescu's statements, which call into question the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Spokesman Georgiy Tikhiy noted that Georgescu is repeating narratives from Russian propaganda, which raises doubts about his independence as a politician. Furthermore, the politician's statements contradict international norms, the UN Charter, and democratic values.
“Against the backdrop of such statements, Kalin Georgescu's attempts to position himself as an 'independent' politician look absurd: the theses he voiced are completely identical to those of Russian propaganda, indicating his total dependence on his masters in Moscow”, emphasized Georgiy Tikhiy.
It is worth noting that the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned Kalin Georgescu's statements and assured that they support Ukraine, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity: “The Romanian MFA firmly reaffirms its unwavering position regarding the support of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence within its internationally recognized borders. This position is clear and based on international law, national interests, and long-term foreign policy and values”.
What is known about Romanian presidential candidate Kalin Georgescu and his policies
On November 24, 2024, the first round of presidential elections took place in Romania. Immediately after the polling stations closed, exit polls reported that the current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was leading. However, after all votes were counted, the Central Electoral Bureau announced that in the second round for the presidency of Romania, the pro-Russian candidate Kalin Georgescu and pro-Ukrainian politician Elena Lasconi would compete.
Later, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis disclosed secret intelligence documents indicating that the winner of the first round, Kalin Georgescu, had a low rating just weeks before the elections – he was supported by only 6.2% of Romanians. According to intelligence data, Georgescu engaged the TikTok account "bogpr," managed by Romanian Bogdan Peșchir, for his campaign. Over the course of a month, he transferred $381,000 to social media users who participated in promoting Georgescu. Such manipulations allowed Georgescu to advance to the second round of the elections.
On December 6, the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the presidential elections, during which Georgescu received the most votes. The presidential elections in Romania will be held again, with the first round taking place on March 23, 2025, and the second round on April 6.
As writes Politico, Kalin Georgescu is known for his controversial statements, including regarding the war in Ukraine. He believes that the war benefits the military industry of the United States. Additionally, Georgescu pursues an anti-Western policy and claims that NATO and the European Union do not align with Romania's interests. Among other things, Georgescu has described Russian dictator Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country." Furthermore, Kalin Georgescu stated that if he wins the elections, he will halt military assistance to Ukraine.