“Russia is rejoicing,” wrote Donald Tusk on X, in response to George Simion—accused of pro-Russian sympathies—publicly endorsing Karol Nawrocki. The Romanian politician, targeted in Tusk’s post, replied by invoking a historic photograph featuring the Polish leader.
On Tuesday, Karol Nawrocki met with residents of Zabrze. Unexpectedly, George Simion, the winner of the first round of Romania’s presidential election, appeared at the event. The leader of the AUR party expressed his support for Nawrocki, the civic candidate endorsed for the Polish presidency.
This move apparently displeased supporters of Rafał Trzaskowski. Donald Tusk, leader of Civic Platform, personally addressed the situation, launching a pointed attack on the Romanian politician and accusing him of harboring pro-Russian sentiments.
“Russia is rejoicing. Nawrocki and his pro-Russian Romanian counterpart George Simion share a stage five days before the presidential elections in Poland and Romania. It’s all clear now,”
Tusk wrote on X.
The Civic Platform leader’s post has stirred significant discussion online. Users have not only denounced the accusations as baseless—pointing out that Simion has explicitly warned against Putin’s Russia—but have also noted that Tusk previously accused another presidential candidate, Donald Trump, of pro-Russian leanings, a move that ended poorly for him.
Unfortunately for Tusk, his remarks did not go unnoticed by their intended target. Simion issued a strong rebuttal, sparing no criticism for the Civic Platform leader and referencing a historic photograph as evidence.
“In this photo is Putin’s man in Poland. The whole of Europe knows it. Nobody believes your lies and hypocrisy anymore, Donald!”
wrote Simion.