Romanians put pro-Russian candidate into presidential runoff even as the government spends west
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) radar arrives at Mihail Kogalniceanu (MK) Air Base, Romania in support of the NATO Ballistic Missile Defense mission. (Photo: US Army)
Romania joined NATO more than two decades ago and the country is vital to the alliance’s geographic reach and its ability to supply Ukraine with weapons.
A pro-Russian NATO-sceptic candidate has won a place in the 9 December runoff to become the president of Romania, a country which has turned repeatedly towards NATO and the west, and is geographically vital for the alliance.
Independent politician Calin Georgescu took top spot in the weekend’s election but failed to achieve 50%. He will face another election against leader of the opposition Save Romania Union Elena Lasconi who came second.
Georgescu is a former member of the hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians party who has criticised NATO’s ballistic missile defence shield in Romania and praised anti-Semitic ex-Romanian leaders.
The position
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