The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series - The Russian Reach: A Grip on Romania || PETER ZEIHAN

Episode Date: March 17, 2025

If Russia's influence can make its way into the US on the scale we're discussing, you can only imagine how bad it is in places like Romania.In December of last year, we discussed the "Red Strings in Romania" (which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/LP7tkPO6Wqk ) - but things have ramped up.Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihanFull Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/zeihan/the-russian-reach-a-grip-on-romania

Hey, all Peter Zine here coming to you from my house. I'm about ready to jump in the car and head to the airport. But quick news update. A few months ago, there were presidential elections in Romania. They do it in two rounds. And the guy who came in first place, a guy by the name of Callan Georgescu. It was a nobody. I've been in a couple of minor roles in government in the 1990s. He really hasn't done anything with his life since, except for him shifted to the hard right. Nazi salutes and everything. Anyway, Romanian authorities were able to be able to be able to be able to be in the right. to easily prove Russian intervention in the election, both funding for Georgia Sku specifically, so he's under criminal investigation right now, as well as

just a huge social media presence that the Russians have fabricated with as many fake followers as there are citizens in Romania. So it was really beyond the pale. The Russians wanted to see how far they could go. Anyway, the first round election was a null. The repeat elections are going to be held in May, and the news overnight is that Georgescu has been barred from even running because of the investigation and because of the Russian influence. Now, this matters for two reasons. First of all, the U.S. government now, both Tulsi Gabbard, who is the director of national

intelligence who has been working with and for the Russians for the better part of a decade, and J.D. Vance, the vice president, have both come out publicly and said that what the Romanians are doing with Georgescu is part of the reason why Europe is now a bigger threat to the United States than the Russians are, which is, you know, propaganda of which the Russians are just gleeful to have people at the top of the American system saying that. And now the Drogensky won't be able to allow to run. You should expect those statements out of the United States get much, much firmer. Two things there. Number one, I can't speak to J.D. Vance. That investigation is still in progress. Tilsie Gabbard. She's in the process of going through all the intelligence

structures and basically purging anyone who knows anything about counter-Russian operations, specifically about her. So that's a problem. Second, it appears that elements within the administration are looking for a minor ally, like say Romania, because they're NATO, to have a formal breach of relations with in order to basically justify some of their policies and especially set the stage for a full NATO withdrawal by the United States. And this is shaping up to be the perfect test case for that. So the Romanians are doing what they need to protect their system. Decision makers within the American government are very clearly working hand in glove with the Russians on this.

And things are going to get a lot worse before they even pretend to tilt towards getting better.