Ukraine on Thursday slammed remarks from Romanian politician Calin Georgescu on the country’s territorial integrity.
In an interview with Romanian journalist Ion Cristoiu late Wednesday, Georgescu called Ukraine an “invented state” and suggested the division of Ukrainian territories among neighboring European countries, including Romania.
“Romanian politician Calin Georgescu’s statements, which question the territorial integrity of our state, represent extreme disrespect for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said in a statement published by the ministry.
Tykhyi said that Kyiv considered such statements or actions that encroach on multiple norms and values, including Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, to be “categorically unacceptable.”
“Against this backdrop, Calin Georgescu’s attempts to position himself as an ‘independent’ politician look absurd: his statements parrot Russian propaganda, which indicates complete dependence on his masters in Moscow,” Tykhyi further said.
The spokesman went on to say that Ukraine is convinced that it is in the interests of Romania and its people to restore “a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in neighboring Ukraine,” and for “the development of our two states in peace, security, and prosperity for our people.”
He added that Kyiv appreciates Romania and its people’s support for the country since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022.
Georgescu, known for his Eurosceptic and far-right views, was an independent candidate during the country’s presidential election last November, winning the first round of the election by gaining almost 23% of the vote.
However, on Dec. 6, 2024, Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the presidential run-off scheduled for Dec. 8, and the results of the 1st round of the Nov. 24 election.
The court’s decision came after the Supreme Council of National Defense declassified secret service documents that showed interference by a “state actor” in the electoral process in the country.