Attempts to find a military solution to the war in Ukraine are leading to increased risk and a dangerous escalation. This was stated by Prime Minister Rumen Radev at the Council of Ministers in response to a question regarding the attempted sabotage at the airport in Leipzig, Germany, and the sanctions against Russia.

Radev said he views the escalation of the war in Ukraine with particular concern and called for reason, dialogue, a ceasefire, and sitting down at the negotiating table, as he believes diplomacy is the only sustainable and reliable solution to this conflict. He pointed out that Bulgaria will carefully analyze every new sanctions package, citing the opinion of U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the need to rethink existing approaches. Radev reiterated that Bulgaria is part of common European decisions.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the government stands in solidarity with these common European decisions, but when it sees that a sanctions package contains elements that affect the Bulgarian national interest, it does not hesitate to openly raise the Bulgarian national interest in Brussels, explain it to its European partners, and ensure that Bulgarian objectives are met. According to Radev, this is what the government did by securing the exemption of three individuals from these sanctions. Radev cited the example of Greece, which delayed the sanctions and their implementation, successfully managing to exclude the transport of liquefied gas by tanker from an EU member state. National interests must be upheld, because the EU can only be strong when each member state upholds its own interest and is strong, the Bulgarian Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister Rumen Radev held a meeting today at the Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to Bulgaria. Earlier today, Radev welcomed his counterpart Fico with an official ceremony at St. Alexander Nevsky Square in Sofia.