World faces choices: democracy or far-right isolationism

And while in Canada and Australia, democratic victories were a clear response to troubling signals from the U.S., including Vance’s comments and Trump’s policies, Europe is living in a different reality.

In Romania, the first round of presidential elections was won by far-right candidate George Simion, who openly supports Russia, questions Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and claims parts of Ukrainian land as “Romanian.”

This is a worrying signal not just for us, but for the entire democratic world. We've already seen similar trends in France, Italy, and other EU countries.

The second round of elections in Romania is coming up, and on May 18, Poland will also vote — where centrists will again face off against right-wing and far-right opponents. It’s important to recognize: even though Romania’s parliament holds a majority that doesn’t back the far-right, a far-right candidate now has a real shot at leading the country.

Why does this matter for Ukraine?

Because Russia has long backed far-right movements across Europe. Their aim is to break up the European Union. A united Europe is the only real force capable of pushing back against Russian aggression. No EU country can handle that pressure alone. And the far-right are a perfect fit for Moscow — anti-EU, anti-Ukraine, isolationist.

This isn’t new. Take Roman Dmowski, a Polish politician who once saw Ukraine as a threat to Poland and aligned himself with Russia, clashing with Pilsudski, who promoted a federation of nations like those in the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Ukraine must stand firmly with democracy. We need a strong, united Europe. That’s why every far-right win is a loss for us. We must be a model of democracy — a trusted partner to the political forces that back European unity, support our independence, and don’t see Putin as a friend.

Let’s hope that in Romania’s second round, the winner is someone who doesn’t question Ukraine’s borders. Otherwise, Europe could face division — and Ukraine could face real danger.

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About the author. Mykola Knyazhytskyi, journalist, People's Deputy of Ukraine

The editorial staff does not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.