Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, leader of the largest party GERB, have firmly opposed any form of sending Bulgarian soldiers as peacekeepers to Ukraine. „As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, I categorically oppose Bulgaria sending soldiers to Ukraine in any form. I expect the government and the National Assembly to take a clear stance that Bulgaria will not send troops,” stated President Rumen Radev. He also added that, in light of the collapsing global security structure, Bulgaria should not in any way involve itself in the war in Ukraine. Radev, who has held the presidency for eight years, has repeatedly shown pro-Russian views and is opposed to sending military aid to Kyiv, aligning with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on this issue. The decision to send a military mission abroad lies with the parliament, and Boyko Borissov, who has previously supported military aid supplies to Ukraine, swiftly ruled out the possibility of sending soldiers. „Bulgian soldiers will not die on foreign soil and will not participate in any mission in Ukraine,” emphasized the leader of GERB.
A similar stance has been adopted by Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, leader of the pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and a coalition partner of Borissov. „I don’t know what prompted the president to make such a statement, but there is no such scenario or discussion about it in the Council of Ministers,” Zafirov remarked. So far, Bulgaria has only announced participation in a European Union training mission supporting Ukraine, which is mainly being prepared in Germany and Poland. **Agreement with Ukraine** Meanwhile, the new government in Sofia is still dithering on concluding a security agreement with Ukraine, which was supposed to be signed at the end of last year but was blocked by the interim government. „The government is analyzing all aspects that should be included in this document to ensure that its provisions are up-to-date and meet both Ukraine’s and Bulgaria’s needs,” the government stated. Asked about possible discussions regarding the deployment of European military units to Ukraine as peacekeepers, the Bulgarian government said that such talks have not yet taken place, as no peace agreement has been reached. „Matters related to ensuring credible security guarantees for Ukraine under international law and achieving lasting peace are the subject of attention for all NATO and EU allies and partners, including the Bulgarian government. It is important to note that they are currently not a subject of negotiation, but only a preliminary exchange of views among the allies,” commented the Bulgarian government. przez 44 sekund(y)
Bulgaria Will Not Send Troops to Ukraine
Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev and former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, leader of the largest party GERB, have strongly opposed any form of sending Bulgarian soldiers as peacekeeping forces to Ukraine.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, I categorically oppose the deployment of Bulgarian soldiers to Ukraine in any form. I expect the government and the National Assembly to take a clear stand that Bulgaria will not send troops,” President Radev declared.
He also added that in the face of a crumbling global security architecture, Bulgaria should under no circumstances get involved in a war in Ukraine. Radev, who has held the presidency for eight years, has repeatedly taken a pro-Russian stance and remains opposed to sending military aid to Kyiv, showing unity with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in this regard.
The decision to send a military mission abroad rests with the parliament, and Boyko Borisov, who had previously supported the delivery of military aid to Ukraine, quickly ruled out the possibility of deploying soldiers.
“Bulgarian soldiers will not die on foreign soil and will not take part in any potential mission in Ukraine,” stressed the GERB leader.
A similar stance was taken by Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, leader of the pro-Russian Socialist Party (BSP) and Borisov’s coalition partner.
“I don’t know what prompted the president to make such a statement, but there is no such scenario or any discussion on this matter in the Council of Ministers,” Zafirov noted.
So far, Bulgaria has only announced its participation in an EU training mission supporting Ukraine, with preparations taking place mainly in Germany and Poland.
Agreement with Ukraine
Meanwhile, the new government in Sofia is still delaying the signing of a security agreement with Ukraine, which was supposed to be finalized at the end of last year but was blocked by the interim government.
“The government is analyzing all aspects that should be included in such a document to ensure that its provisions are up-to-date and meet the needs of both Ukraine and Bulgaria,” the government stated.
When asked about potential discussions regarding the deployment of European military units to Ukraine as peacekeeping forces, the Bulgarian government said that such discussions have not yet taken place, as no peace agreement has been reached.
“Issues related to ensuring reliable security guarantees for Ukraine in accordance with international law and achieving lasting peace are being considered by all NATO and EU allies and partners, including the Bulgarian government. It is worth noting that these matters are not currently subject to negotiations, but only preliminary exchanges of views among allies,” commented the Bulgarian government.
