NATO member to propose land-grab legislation in Ukraine

A controversial bill submitted to the Romanian parliament this week has urged the government to drop its recognition of Ukraine's borders by 2027 and "annex" territories where ethnic Romanians live. The bill, introduced by right-wing lawmaker Diana Sosoaca, would repeal a provision in the 1997 treaty with Ukraine, which pledged respect for each other's national borders. She described the document as "the biggest act of treason" in Romania's modern history because it recognized the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, which included a classified portion delineating spheres of influence for Moscow and Berlin. Romania was a Nazi ally for a significant portion of World War II, before switching sides. Sosoaca listed several lands, which she deems as historically Romanian and currently "abusively held by Ukraine," from Northern Bukovina to Snake Island.

Romania would "annex" territories in Ukraine to protect ethnic Romanians living there from discriminatory policies and ensure their cultural identity. The bill was introduced in the upper chamber of the Romanian parliament on Monday, with Sosoaca's SOS Party holding a presentation the next day. Critics have described Sosoaca as "far right" and claimed that she has ties with Russia, based on her attempts to soften a diplomatic dispute and her calls for a neutral stance on the Ukrainian conflict. The Romanian government is a staunch supporter of Kiev.