Ukrainian Children: A Condition for Peace, Says Zhelyazkov

From New York, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov categorically stated that the return of Ukrainian children is not a subject for negotiations, but an indispensable condition for the start of genuine peace talks in Ukraine.

At a briefing for Bulgarian media, held in an atmosphere of serious concern about the course of the conflict, Zhelyazkov emphasized Bulgaria"s unwavering position. "Our position is unchanged " clear and categorical", he said, adding: "The territories occupied by the Russian Federation in Ukraine, as well as all citizens who have passed through the so-called filtration camps, must be immediately returned to their places".

This firm statement is a clear signal of Bulgaria"s disagreement with the annexation of Ukrainian territories and the gross human rights violations committed by the Russian Federation.

Later today, Zhelyazkov will participate in an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly dedicated to this critical issue. The meeting, chaired by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, will focus on efforts to return children abducted from Russia to Ukraine.

It is expected that the mechanisms for return, cooperation between international organizations, and pressure on the Russian Federation to comply with international law will be discussed.

Foreign Minister Georgi Georgiev, accompanying the Prime Minister, answered questions regarding the detained Bulgarian citizen in Ukraine. Georgiev emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in "contact with the relatives of our compatriot".

He specified that the citizen has dual citizenship " Bulgarian and Ukrainian. "Residing in Ukraine, Ukrainian laws also apply to him, including with regard to mobilization", the minister explained.

To the question about contact with President Rumen Radev on the topic, Georgiev replied that "in such situations, populism is unnecessary".

He stressed that "the Bulgarian state has always acted responsibly and worked for a positive result, and not for extracting dubious political dividends".

The Foreign Minister added that there is currently no information on whether the Bulgarian consul has received assistance from the Ukrainian authorities. For now, Bulgaria_q_s actions are focused on guaranteeing the rights of the Bulgarian citizen in accordance with international law, but the lack of information about assistance from the Ukrainian authorities may raise serious questions.