Romanians vote in a presidential election runoff on Sunday that could see Calin Georgescu, a far-right critic of NATO, defeat pro-European centrist Elena Lasconi, an outcome that might isolate Romania in the West and erode its support for Ukraine.

Călin Georgescu is a Romania-firster, and that’s worrying NATO. Romania is a serious military power, which is why the risk that NATO-skeptic, pro-Russia candidate Călin Georgescu will become its president next Sunday is confounding the alliance.

Romania’s top court validated the outcome of a key presidential vote, approving the candidacy of a pro-Russian candidate for a runoff with high geopolitical stakes for the nation on NATO’s eastern flank.