President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Romania’s newly elected President Nicușor Dan on Monday, May 19, after Dan’s victory in Sunday’s presidential election run-off.
Zelensky called for more cooperation between Bucharest and Kyiv in the call, according to his Telegram update.
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“Congratulations on your victory in the presidential elections. It is very important that Romania develops and that we all cooperate together in our region and in Europe,” Zelensky wrote.
He also thanked Romania, a NATO member state bordering Ukraine, for supporting Kyiv.
“This is a country on which much depends in security matters. We are very grateful for the contribution to protecting the lives of our people. It is important that support for Ukraine continues. Romania understands how important the fight for freedom and justice is,” Zelensky said.
Romania is one of the donors of US-made Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine and hosted the F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots.
Zelensky also extended an invitation to Dan, where the two discussed meeting in person soon, according to Zelensky.
Nicușor Dan, a mathematician-turned-politician, won Romania’s presidential election with 54% of the vote, defeating nationalist candidate George Simion.
A pro-European and NATO-aligned figure, Dan campaigned on a platform of “rebuilding” Romania and maintaining its pro-Western direction, including continued support for Ukraine.
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Originally from Transylvania, Dan earned international acclaim in mathematics before completing his PhD in Paris. He returned to Romania to fight corruption and illegal urban development, eventually becoming mayor of Bucharest.
First elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, he is credited with modernizing infrastructure and pulling the capital out of bankruptcy.
His rise follows the annulment of last year’s elections amid accusations of Russian interference – claims that Moscow denies.