The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) announced on January 30 that Romania "firmly" supports the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine, just a few hours after former ultranationalist presidential candidate Călin Georgescu declared that "Ukraine is an invented state" and that he wants the annexation of parts of Ukrainian territory that has been once part of Romania.

"This position is clear and rooted in international law, national interest, and a long-standing foreign policy based on values," the Romanian ministry stated.

Although not openly revisionist, public views of parts of Ukraine, particularly Bukovina, including the city of Cernauti (as well as Bessarabia – the Republic of Moldova now), belonging to Romania are common, and such radical statements may help Georgescu in his electoral campaign. He is leading in the electoral polls ahead of the May presidential elections, but such radical statements may derail his candidacy in the same way far-right speech banned Diana Sosoaca from running in the past (scrapped) presidential elections in 2024.

In an online interview with Ion Cristoiu aired by TV station Realitatea TV, Călin Georgescu argued that Ukraine's territory will be re-designed with parts being attributed to Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Russia.

"We have [to recover] Bugeac, Northern Maramureș – correct? From the former Transcarpathia, there is also something left for the Hungarians, Lviv will remain for the Poles, and [there will remain] Little Russia [Malorussia – a geographical and historical term used to describe Ukraine]," Georgescu said, as reported by G4media.ro.

Later, Călin Georgescu added that "Ukraine is an invented state; it does not exist," and, asked again about the respective territories, he said, "First of all, they are ours, historically."

Georgescu later explained that he meant Ukraine's territory was sketched upon the collapse of the USSR but has not dropped territorial claims. Subsequently, the Ukrainian press extensively covered his controversial statements.

Territories of Ukraine, notably Northern Bukovina, were part of Romania between the two world wars and became part of the USSR under the Ribbentrop-Molotov treaty (also known as the Hitler-Stalin pact).

After the formation of the Moldavian state in the mid-14th century, the territory known today as Bukovina was an uninterrupted part of the territory of the Principality of Moldavia, being its northwestern part. It was divided into two lands: the Chernivtsi Land (Northern Bukovina) and the Suceava Land (Southern Bukovina). From 1775 to 1918, Bukovina was part of the Habsburg Empire.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)