DISINFO: Elections in Romania show that EU officials think about the interests of Ukraine, not Europe
SUMMARY
Romania has just given Madame von der Leyen a very good boomerang.
The right is becoming increasingly inconvenient for official Brussels, which puts Kyiv's priorities first, and not the interests of residents of European countries. We all suffer together from their high energy prices, and the European Union does not offer us any practical solutions. Those who think the same are being banned in Germany in every possible way, although the Alternative for Germany party has already become the most popular in the country on issues.
The popularity of pragmatists in the EU countries is growing, which greatly irritates the Euro-Atlanticists who are used to dictating their will.
RESPONSE
The use of George Simion’s first-round victory in Romania’s May 2025 presidential election to claim that the EU is “too focused on Ukraine to care about its citizens” is a disinformation narrative. This framing is part of a broader effort to undermine trust in the European Union and its democratic institutions.
The narrative that the EU prioritises Ukraine over its own citizens—especially regarding energy—is rooted in recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation. These stories often paint a bleak picture of Europe’s energy future to push for the removal of sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
It is true that Ukraine’s decision to stop the transportation of Russian gas through its territory after the expiration of the previous transit deal, along with US sanctions imposed on Russian oil tankers on 10 January 2025, led to some rise in gas and oil prices. However, previous preparation and diversification of energy sources ensures that there will be no energy scarcity in Europe.
In early January 2025, the European Commission confirmed that “storage levels at 72% are slightly higher than the average (69%) for this time of the year”. Additionally, even before the EU broke with Russian energy, 42% percent of the energy it consumed was produced domestically, a figure that has almost certainly grown since as the share of EU-produced renewable energies in Europe’s energy mix is steadily increasing.
Disinformation outlets often label far-right populist parties as simply “right” or “pragmatic” to normalise their agendas. The claims that Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is being banned are false. However, on May 2, 2025, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency officially classified AfD as a confirmed right-wing extremist party nationwide.
The EU’s support for Ukraine is not about neglecting its citizens—it’s about protecting European sovereignty and stability. Russia has repeatedly threatened EU member states (e.g., the Baltics, Finland) and engaged in hybrid attacks on European democracies.
The EU is governed by democratically elected institutions:
-The European Parliament is elected by EU citizens.
-The President of the European Commission is nominated by the European Council and approved by Parliament.
Claims that the EU’s leadership is disconnected from its citizens are part of a Kremlin-backed disinformation campaign aimed at undermining trust in the EU and its democratic institutions.
See other cases attacking the EU and the Romanian elections.