« Thank God I play Golf »

Victor Ponta said, in an interview for Reuters, that, if he is elected, he will stop Ukrainian grain exports through the Romanian ports from the Black Sea, to protect the local farmers.

In the last three years, Romania has helped to export about 29 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain through Constanta Port, becoming the main alternative export route for Ukraine.

« There has been a policy of favoring Ukrainian cereals regarding access to port installations in recent years, to the detriment of Romanian cereals, and Romanian farmers have very affected for this reason, » Ponta said in the interview.

He said, however, would maintain other measures already in force in support of Ukraine, such as the transit of weapons and the training of Ukrainian pilots.

Ponta, who resigned from the position of prime minister in 2015, said he supports what he calls ‘radical change’ in the United States.

The cancellation of the December elections placed Romania at the center of a dispute between the European Union and the American administration of President Donald Trump on freedom of expression and repression of political opponents.

« We just have to be pragmatic and understand that in Washington things have changed fundamentally and (…) that we can have a relationship based on different criteria: pragmatism, common interest and military collaboration, » said Ponta.

« Thank God I play a golf and thank the Lord that I do not beat President Trump at the game. He beats me hard, but he beats me, « he said.

Ponta also stated that he will support the increase of Romania’s defense expenses to over 3% of GDP in 2026, from 2.5% planned this year, and that it will focus on strengthening the aircraft Mihail Kogălniceanu, which houses American troops.

The former prime minister also said that his approach ‘Romania in the first place’, in the EU and NATO, would focus on supporting the accession of the Republic of Moldova and the Western Balkans at the EU, as well as the strategic partnership with Poland and Turkey, the main military power in the Black Sea.

‘I believe that Romania can support the Republic of Moldova in case of aggression. Realistically speaking, Romania cannot support another country, be it Ukraine or another. But it has the ability to do this for the Republic of Moldova, « Victor Ponta told Reuters.

The presidential candidate also said that he does not support the introduction of civil unions for same -sex couples.