r/worldnews • u/CJoker13 • 8h ago
Russia/Ukraine Romanian president asks Russia to ensure Romanians are not harmed when it attacks Ukrainian cities
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/31/8037195/406
u/sanctjeve 7h ago
LoL, don't ever trust Russian authorities in any enquiry, good luck.
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u/DomiekNSFW 7h ago
That's common knowledge even in Russia.
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u/EatAssAndFartFast 4h ago
Idk why is EU acting so dumb, Macron calling President of Iran (who has no power) and asked him to open Hormouz strait and now Romania asking Putain to not do crazy shit.
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u/Appropriate-Ball293 7h ago
According to his logic, if you see a person being murdered on the street, ask the murderer not to stain you with blood, because you have clean clothes and you have nothing to do with the murdered person.
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u/Nepridiprav16 7h ago
Unfortunately this is weak point of Nicosur Dan.
Before becoming president, he was a brilliant academic mathematician and then the Mayor of Bucharest. He built his entire reputation on being a meticulous, hyperlogical, data-driven nerd.
He treats complex, emotionally charged geopolitical issues like a math problem.
In his mind, he was establishing a logical boundary condition: Russia is launching drones --> Ukraine is shooting them down --> physics dictates the debris falls on our side --> Russia must adjust its trajectory variables to prevent this outcome.
A traditional politician would have heavily wrapped that warning in fierce language condemning the illegality and brutality of the Russian strikes as a whole.
His overly rigid, technocratic approach to communication is a liability on the world stage which he needs to work on.
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u/PolecatXOXO 6h ago
A traditional politician would have heavily wrapped that warning in fierce language condemning the illegality and brutality of the Russian strikes as a whole.
Unfortunately that just doesn't exist in the field in Romania. The other side is still trying to blame Ukraine entirely for the incident. Not sure how the AURists can hold the simultaneous view of "It's all Ukraine's fault" and "Look at the weak and pathetic Nicusor Dan for not condemning Russia hard enough". But, here we are.
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u/Efficient-Magician63 7h ago
Honestly, would prefer everyone to use the technocratic approach for communication. Clearly, the other loud exclamation way has not really done us much better for now.
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u/Ok_Dust_8620 4h ago
Honestly, the messaging is still pretty bad. Nobody expects him to go against russia with full bravado, but he could have said something along the lines of:
"Let's revive the peace efforts led by President Trump, because only Trump can stop this war. We must avoid escalation and help both sides finally reach an agreement at the negotiating table, end this war, and bring a just peace to the entire European continent".
Otherwise, it just sounds like: "Keep doing what you're doing, but just be careful next time".
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u/Life_Drama7570 7h ago
In his mind, he was establishing a logical boundary condition: Russia is launching drones --> Ukraine is shooting them down --> physics dictates the debris falls on our side --> Russia must adjust its trajectory variables to prevent this outcome.
and what part of your mind makes you come up with justifications for this type of lousy behavior?
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u/Nepridiprav16 7h ago
I'm not justifying his behavior, just trying to explain context of his background. I said his communication is a liability which he needs to fix.
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u/ImpossibleAd6628 7h ago
He's not tho.
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u/Life_Drama7570 6h ago
The president is not and should not be mentally challenged like that and have no awareness of the context (along with his whole team, for that fact) That’s why coming up with this chain of logic is useless and unlikely to be real. He is justifying as long as he is trying to provide a logical explanation based on his own assumptions and with great tolerance for the president’s mistakes
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u/Red_black_flag_07 6h ago
No. It's a robber chopping you up with an axe, and you scream at the whole block. And then the neighbor comes and asks the robber to chop you down more quietly.
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u/Strakiz 6h ago
Thank you dear Romanian president. That's exactly the message we as EU should send to Russia. Feel free to kill, burn, maim and rape but please not us. Just the others.
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u/sg19point3 49m ago
My thoughts on it as well, "don't bomb us, bomb those Ukrainians"...imagine if we got pro russian president a year ago...would probably let russians fly over their territory
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u/WasteBinStuff 7h ago
Why is a NATO member "asking"?
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u/tgh_hmn 7h ago
because NATO does not seem to care super much
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u/whovian25 7h ago
NATO is trying to avoid an escalation especially one that gives support to Russian propaganda.
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u/lordm30 7h ago
Maybe we should do something about the Russian propaganda instead.
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u/Born2Rune 2h ago
I'm sure they're very open to ideas. Banning VPN's perhaps, requiring digital ID, eroding more freedoms?.
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u/KaQuu 7h ago
It's so sad people don't get it and complain so much about,, strongly worded letters"
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u/WalkerBuldog 7h ago
Responding with force doesn't support russian propaganda
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u/KaQuu 6h ago
Yeah he worded it poorly. But looking at how ruzzia is claiming for its inner population that this war with Ukraine is actually war against whole NATO, NATO responding is giving them excuse for once to say look we were right, and secondly to start mass mobilization that they desperately need. Either way NATO doing anything outside of current consensus would be bad for Ukraine, only ramping up current actions could be beneficial, but there isn't much more that can be done with it.
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u/SlavaVsu2 3h ago
you think putin has been postponing the mobilization because he is lacking a pretext for it? That naive. The last mobilization didn't go too well for them, and that was almost 4 years ago. In the current circumstances the mobilization can be catastrophic for putin. In other words mobilization carries the risks for both sides, which is the reason it has been delayed for so long.
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u/WalkerBuldog 6h ago
What russian propaganda claims doesn't matter, what russiand believe doesn't matter, reality on ground matters. The mass mobilisation won't help them and it's too unpopular for russia and that is why it didn't started despite being very needed.
Either way NATO doing anything outside of current consensus would be bad for Ukraine
NATO could have been helping Ukraine shoot down russian drones and missiles and the only difference would is that NATO border countries would be safe and there would be a lot less dead Ukrainians.
There is a lot could have been done. NATO just doesn't want to put any real effort into it, preferring to do something to look good, eather than actually putting real effort into arming Ukraine.
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u/KaQuu 4h ago
What russian propaganda claims doesn't matter, what russiand believe doesn't matter
With what reference point? Both matter in broad war understanding and strategic decisions making. Dismissing them just like that isn't very wise.
The mass mobilisation won't help them and it's too unpopular for russia and that is why it didn't started despite being very needed
Won't help in what? Last few months ruzzia is losing more soldiers than is recruiting, as an aggressor in war that's a problem, mobilization would solve it, so it would help. It's unpopular but ruzzia government at some point could (and will) make a decision that losing the war is far worse outcome for them then discontent in population. As long as there isn't a coup, it would be acceptable. And they are currently doing everything to lower the possibility of a coup/revolution.
NATO could have been helping Ukraine shoot down russian drones and missiles(...)
Current Ukraine interception stats look something like: 90%< drones, 80%< cruise missile, 60%< ballistic. Fighter jets aren't ideal to intercept drones, that's why interceptor drones were invented (AtA missiles are expensive, jets are to fast for effective gun/cannon use). All ground systems to fight missiles are expensive, less reliable with a distance, and putting them on Ukraine soil is problematic.
NATO could do that, but it's not effective, not reliable, it's making them prime targets for ruzzia, it's to expensive, NATO lack the production quantity to sustain this kind of operation, any deaths sustained would be massive political blow to coalition, and popular support is important.
There is a lot could have been done
If you have any more ideas then intercepting, and what is already done, share it. Just keep in mind it can't be understood bu ruzzia as NATO fully joining the war.
NATO just doesn't want to put any real effort into it, preferring to do something to look good, eather than actually putting real effort into arming Ukraine.
It's such a biased take, and after you showed that you don't get how things work saying it with this kind of confidence is naive.
Any real effort? What would be this effort you are talking about? West is arming Ukraine, from guns throug tanks and finishing at fighter jets. Could be more, sure, but saying there isn't effort in it is wrong. Europe is financially keeping Ukraine afloat, that's fucking crucial and you talk about lack of effort? West is sharing intelligence and surveillance with Ukraine, they are capable of deep striking ruzzia economy because of that, another crucial point. West helped train Ukrainian soldiers at the beginning, also it's sharing it's expertise in managing conflict of this scale, also important. Sanctions that are making day to day operations of ruzzia more complicated. Political backing.
NATO, with current exclusion of USA, is considering ruzzia a threat, their talks about possible aggression on one of the member state is seriously taken into an account, and there are steps taken to prevent it/make it much harder if they decide to do that.
Those aren't just empty gestures, or actions done to ,,look good". Those are strategic decisions taken after careful consideration of much more reliable informations than you and I have.
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u/WalkerBuldog 4h ago
With what reference point? Both matter in broad war understanding and strategic decisions making. Dismissing them just like that isn't very wise.
No, it doesn't. Russian opinion doesn't matter because it doesn't influence anything, Putin can do whatever the fuck he wants and russian will acfept it regardless because even russians disagree with him, they won't do anything about most. Most of the russians didn't want this war or don't want hundreds of thousands die in this war, yet here we are. And this will continue because they allow it and will nothing about it.
Russians aren't loosing the war at the point they need mobilization, unfortunately Ukraine, like russia can't commit large acale offensives so both countries are stack in stalemate and russia is okay with it, sure, it sucks for them to have less meat on the frontline but it's preferable over another shock and economic consequences for mobolizong population only to achieve minimum gains again.
Current Ukraine interception stats look something like: 90%< drones, 80%< cruise missile, 60%< ballistic
Currently, everyday russian drones fly into Ukrainian buildings keeping our people. Every night I wake up and read news about how russian deones flied into another apartment and killed a family. Very commonly entire chuncks of the buildings are turned into ruin and entire famialies are under the rubble. Zelensky recently complained that we don't have enough interceptors, our own fightwrs jets don't have enough interpceptors. Help would be appreciated and it would make NATO countries safer.
Fighter jets aren't ideal to intercept drones, that's why interceptor drones were invented (AtA missiles are expensive, jets are to fast for effective gun/cannon use).
They are effective, western countries couldn't just be bothered to do a bare minimum.
NATO could do that, but it's not effective, not reliable, it's making them prime targets for ruzzia, it's to expensive, NATO lack the production quantity to sustain this kind of operation, any deaths sustained would be massive political blow to coalition, and popular support is important.
It wouldn't if NATO would put any real effort into it and convincing people for a limited air pperation to secure Ukrainian skies and lives of Ukrainian people would find support. The risk is minimum because they won't fly nowhere near frontlines.
you have any more ideas then intercepting, and what is already done, share it.
Westenr countries contributing annually 0,25% GDP on military aid. That would more than double military aid to Ukraine and cover some of our basic needs.
Those are strategic decisions taken after careful consideration of much more reliable informations than you and I have.
People who fo those decisions are shortsighted morons who would rather do nothing and let this problem be someone's to deal with because they won't be in the office next election cycle
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u/KaQuu 1h ago
I actually agree with you that the West should have acted faster and in larger scale in many MANY areas. Delays with tanks, missiles or jets proved that a lot of ,,red lines'' were ultimately political hesitation rather than impossibility.
But my point is different: NATO also has to think about alliance cohesion, political acceptance, escalation control and long-term sustainment. A coalition of 30+ democracies is not capable of acting like a single wartime state.
And whether we like it or not, ruzzian internal narratives do matter strategically. Not because they are true, but because they affect mobilization potential, public tolerance for losses and the Kremlin’s ability to frame escalation as ,,defensive''.
You are looking at this primarily from a moral perspective, which I completely understand, especially if you are Ukrainian. But strategy is often about avoiding outcomes that are even worse long-term, not only about doing the morally satisfying thing in the moment.
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u/ostbollen94 6h ago
NATO cares, but we are and should not be an organization that overreacts based on impulses/anger. Top officials are 100% discussing how to handle cases like this behind closed doors. Also he’s not asking as a nato member. He’s asking as the president of a neighboring country. The weird part here is that he thinks Russia gives a fuck.
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u/Aurora_Fatalis 5h ago
The whole point of incidents like this from Russia's perspective is to provoke people into wanting NATO to act without actually provoking NATO to act. This slowly erodes trust in NATO while keeping the war game theorists out of the fight.
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u/Gustomucho 7h ago
Because they don’t want to invoke article 5 unless they have to.
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u/WasteBinStuff 6h ago
There's a gaping chasm of potential responses between 'asking Russia nicely' and 'invoking full NATO war footing.'
And if any response more aggressive than 'asking nicely' causes Russia to react in a way that Article 5 becomes immediately necessary, then it was coming sooner or later anyway.
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u/O_gr 7h ago edited 7h ago
Because in reality they are total cowards. Even without the US, the active military of EU NATO members dwarfs russia.
Not even mentioning reservists, Ukrainian troops and the insanely massive front they would open on Russia.
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u/CryptographerHot3109 6h ago
Sometimes reading comments like this makes me want to see all the brilliant NATO defense in action. I hope it will be better than the US war on Iran
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u/yuikkiuy 7h ago
Schizo mode: This is reverse psychology because we all know theres no way Russia could possibly action this. But they could agree to do so publicly.
And when they inevitably bomb a Romanian, BAM, The Armata Română launched an amphibian landing on the coast of Karafuto, quickly sweeping aside the meager russian resistance with their slimy webbed feet
Romania then quickly holds a referendum on the newly taken territory and Cores the region. It THEN enters diplomacy mode with Japan and trades the Karafuto settlement for gold.
Using this immense amount of gold the Armata Română buys moose from Canada.
And with the help of the CAF Rangers establish 17 divisions of Moose cavalry troops.
THEN using the newly trained cavalry divions with cold weather adaptation bonuses thanks to the canadian moose, they take Moscow THROUGH Siberia. And I know what you're thinking, Romania has nowhere near the manpower needed to garrison all the territory they will be taking.
Thats why they use NATO and activate "request manpower for garrison", and thats where WE step in to fill this gap. And because cavalry divisions have movement bonuses that ignore infrastructure and rail networks they will be able to quickly move through and encircle the slow russian divisions.
Once they hit Moscow that should be more than enough Cap points to force a surrender and PAX ROMANA IS BORN.
🎶 Deșteaptă-te, române, din somnul cel de moarte, În care te-adânciră 𝄆 barbarii de tirani 𝄇! 🎶
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u/meo_lessi 7h ago
This statement is weak, pathetic and surrealistically ridiculous. 5 years of war and I still can't believe i read shit like this
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u/OldeeMayson 7h ago
OK, Mr. President, next time we try to die in a more appropriate way. Sorry for the inconvenience. Sincerely yours, UA citizens.
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u/glormond 7h ago
He basically asks ruzzians to kill Ukrainians more effectively… What a pathetic cynical clown
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u/Ghinev 3h ago
And to think this spineless worm was genuinely the best we could come up with in those elections. Everyone else was infinitely worse for Romania, for Ukraine, for the EU, for literally everyone other thab Russia.
Honestly pathetic, but not surprising in the slightest for anyone who voted him knowing he isn't suited for the job, he just wasn't an out in the open fascist or a corrupt convict.
Of course, turns out the guy who is a republican style conservative corporatist isn't far off from a fascist either when in power. He was just smart enough to hide how much of a US lapdog he is until after he got elected, leaving others to embarass themselves by kissing Trump's feet during the elections.
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u/hugganao 6h ago
didn't mevdev just threaten nato about potential casualties when a russian drone hit romania? lol
Romanian president asks Russia to ensure Romanians are not harmed when it attacks Ukrainian cities
bro... read the fking room that's your fking job.
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u/PolecatXOXO 7h ago
And the US thinks they have bad choices in politicians. Think that this guy is the least Russian simp in the field. Romanians came within inches of Orban-ing themselves in the last election.
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u/Ghinev 3h ago
Worry not, we are guaranteed to Orban ourselves in 2028-29 thanks to morons like this guy.
All the pro-russians have to do is NOT take part in the new govt Dan has to name these weeks and let someone else keep taking the fall for our extremely dire economic situation and they can't possibly not sweep the next elections.
Granted, the pro-russians are also massive troglodytes who have shown their true colours too soon once before, but still.
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u/PolecatXOXO 3h ago edited 3h ago
Wife (Romanian) and I just retired here from the US last year. At first I felt like I got the last helicopter out of 'Nam. Now it's like "out of the frying pan and into the fire."
I want to cheer for Dan, I really do, but that guy just cannot get it right to save his life. He's politically clueless.
Where's Slappy the Squirrel (Basescu?) I miss that one.
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u/Beautiful-Try-9875 6h ago
What a powerful message from NATO country…
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u/Derrickful 6h ago
Russia desperate to involve NATO as their whole propaganda for starting the war crumbles.
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u/Lionheart51st 5h ago
“Hey, Morally Corrupt Evil Doer! Can you only be evil to THOSE guys? Thanks!”
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u/Big_Chip_6 3h ago
He is a moron. We elected him because the other option was a ruzzian plant. Sorry.
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u/Deathenglegamers1144 5h ago
It’s gonna be hard to asking it since Russia are gonna repeat this again to turn the European against each other.
Operation Eastern Sentries is good but the European is gonna need more than that to cover themselves.
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u/Which_Song793 3h ago
In other words, aim towards Ukraine and not towards Romania.... this is a stupid request!
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u/Typingdude3 7h ago
Europe has no spine. Russia isn’t going anywhere, they are going to keep pushing boundaries until someone pushes back.
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u/Lazy-Good1433 6h ago
Russia losses Hungary only to move up to Romania, is that right?
And now even Romanians are unsure Russia can hold it own, due to years with Ukraine, correct?
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u/SPQR-Tightanus 7h ago
Romanian president doesn't realize that his country doesn't exist on Russian maps, why would they even bother to "ensure" anything.
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u/zamolxis22 7h ago
Nicușor Dan is a very smart person but definitely doesn’t have the conventional social/emotional skills most presidents do. Given the alternatives and what we were about to have as president instead…I’ll take it.
“Atât s-a putut”
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u/InconspicuousRadish 7h ago
It doesn't matter how smart you may or may not be, if you're too cowardly to act on anything or too weak to hold any ferm position.
A dumb person acting impulsively had infinitely more impact on the world than a smart person doing nothing.
This message to Moscow is pointless.
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u/zamolxis22 7h ago
Not trying to defend him. This is who he is. I am just informing in the international audience here. He is not a powerful figure and definitely lacks the public speaking skills. To add to that, he has no sort of political foundation or backup.
Again, the alternative was an actual Trump/Putin supporter. That’s how desperate Romania was for a suitable presidential who is not a Moscow puppet.
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u/Ghinev 3h ago
If only he hadn't nuked his political foundation a few weeks ago by silently approving the motion to take down the govt, lmao.
This clown is like 2 inches left of being a fascist like Georgescu himself. He has been giving hints of his true political views since the second he got elected, arguably before.
And he IS an actual Trump supporter/bootlicker. He just waited until he got elected to let everyone be aware of that fact, unlike Antonescu, Ponta or Simion
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u/zamolxis22 3h ago
Look I understand your frustration because it is an incredibly frustrating situation. However, I wouldn’t particularly subscribe to that narrative either. Nicusor Dan is a pro-west centre-right conservative guy. He is neither pro nor anti trump. He just knows that we can’t afford to fall out of America’s graces. Since we have nothing else to offer Trump, he is playing to his ego. At least to me, that part is obvious.
What is frustrating is that he could push himself a bit more out of his comfort zone to take clear positions. But he is too fearful of losing what he perceives is his “control” over the situation.
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u/Ghinev 3h ago edited 2h ago
No, he facaded being a pro-european centre-right guy to garner votes from the left-wing progressives and actual center-right voters.
He has since:.
-constantly tried to placate the fascists whilst bleeding supporters who actually thought he might take a stand AGAINST them.
-refused to even talk about social issues like legalising civil partnership, despite being mandated by the EU to do so. Guess the progressives only had to be convinced he's on their side until he got elected.
-has named a bunch of corrupt magistrates, basically the same people in shuffled positions.
-decorated a fascist war criminal on 1st of December
- surrounded himself with right wing corporatists as advisors.
-signed a lobby-ing contract with a US company(despite it being illegal in Romania)
- ignored several european events, especially on the matter of european security.
-rejected the french nuclear umbrella in less time than it took him to react to the recent Galati drone strike. Without calling the CSAT into session to even deliberate it. The only country on the Eastern flank to refuse it outright.
-made RO one of the only countries in the EU to actually enable the US to keep conducting its war with Iran
-criticised the EU on Europe Day using arguments straight out of Trump's agenda, arguments that weren't even true.
-refused to meet with EU officials on Europe day.
-invited Fico to Cotroceni. The only EU leader worse than that guy would've been Orban.
-went to Trump's Council of Piss, again, whilst ignoring various european events that actually do something positive for Romania.
-silently shunned the pro-european government right as it needed presidential support the most.
-Expressed that the free independent press is misinforming people that the justice system is beyond corrupt and claimed he's "100 times more informed on the matter". Had to retract his own statements over how much everyone clowned him on it
-shifted his narrative about himself from being pro-european to "pro-western". Weird how that can only mean the US, huh.
Believe what you will, but don't go about preaching this guy hasn't shown the entire world he is just another pro-Trump full on right-wing spineless conservative lapdog.
He could've been the guy to finally start unplugging us from US dependency. He spat on that opportunity and got us closer to them at a time when everyone is distancing themselves because they US have become extremely unreliable. Just as he has been spitting in the face of every leftist and centrist who voted for him.
He has no control, he is completely out of his depth on all matters of presidential nature.
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u/zamolxis22 56m ago
Some of these points are legitimate. A lot aren’t, and the framing is doing heavy lifting. Dan is a technocratic centrist governing within Romania’s actual constraints, not the transformative figure some people projected onto him. “Disappointing pragmatist” and “Trump lapdog” are not the same thing. Collapsing that distinction makes the criticism easier to dismiss, not harder.
Some easy/clear counterpoints:
- The French nuclear umbrella “outright refusal”
He said Romania wouldn’t host French components “in the medium term” — while visiting Warsaw. His own Foreign Affairs minister confirmed it goes to CSAT, which Dan chairs. That’s a process, not a rejection. Greece, Sweden, and Denmark also haven’t formally joined Macron’s initiative. “Only Eastern flank country to refuse outright” is just factually wrong.
- Pro-Trump / ignoring Europe
He called NATO SecGen Rutte the day after winning. His inauguration speech reaffirmed Ukraine support and Euro-Atlantic priorities. Romania’s US strategic partnership has been bipartisan since 1997. Every president has maintained it. Attending a US summit isn’t Trumpism, it’s continuity.
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u/Popular-Map9371 4h ago
How in this logic is this gonna work? Would shahed just immediately go "oh shit my bad bruh" and fly away when he sees a Romanian person in the apartment building in the middle of the night? What the hell is this kind of statement?
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u/SlavaVsu2 2h ago
> It's unpopular but ruzzia government at some point could (and will) make a decision that losing the war is far worse outcome for them then discontent in population.
The real problem is that at some point they can have both. The reality of this war is difficult and it is also constantly changing, but at this point it is extremely unlikely that even a mass mobilization will allow putin to win the war. The main change in 2026 has been the emergence of the so called 'middle strike' for Ukrainians. Previously the targeted russians as they were already attacking Ukrainian held territory. So even if you kill 80% of them, they will most likely gain some ground. Now they get targeted way before that. So as a result russians gain much less ground. This not because they don't have soldiers, this is because they are being killed much faster.
Also keep in mind that the boost they got from Trump via oil prices hike is not going to last long. When oil falls back their economy will be back in a deep slump and when the crush finally happens, it will be very inconvenient to have a lot of mobilized against their will armed people in their military.
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u/Slayers_Picks 3h ago
Romania's government is pathetic for saying this, absolutely fucking pathetic and should no longer be a part of NATO.
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u/Wafflars 7h ago
Anybody else think Ukraine should declare war on NATO, instantly surrender and then sign a treaty that Ukraine with 1990’s borders is an independent region under Romania? Doesn’t necessarily have to be Romania they could surrender to Poland as well.
I mean at this point anything is worth a try amirite?
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u/Crow_One 4h ago
Veto powers? Are you confusing NATO for the UN? Nato wouldn’t be a very good military alliance if non-members get a veto.
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u/jcrestor 7h ago
That's a very dumb statement.