site.btaNATO Parliamentary Assembly to Hold Its Spring Session in Sofia, May 25-27

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) will hold its Spring Session in the Bulgarian capital Sofia between May 25 and 27, the National Assembly said on Wednesday. About 400 parliamentarians from the 32 NATO member states, 25 partner countries and parliamentary organizations will take part in the event, which will be hosted by the Bulgarian legislature.

The NATO PA will discuss key topics on the agenda of Euro-Atlantic defence and security, with a focus on the support for Ukraine and the priorities of the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington in July. On May 25 and 26, the five NATO PA committees will discuss draft reports and adopt essential political guidelines.

At the opening of a plenary session on May 27, the participants are to be greeted by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, NATO PA President Michal Szczerba and Bulgaria's Deputy National Assembly Chair Rossitsa Kirova and caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev.

The Sofia Session is expected to adopt recommendations for the Washington Summit, which Szczerba will present to the heads of state and government who will gather in the US capital.

Swedish parliamentarians will take part in a NATO PA session for the first time. The Nordic country became a full member of NATO on March 7. Andreas Norlen, the Speaker of the Riksdag of Sweden, will make a statement in Sofia.

During its Spring Session, NATO PA is expected to reaffirm its uncompromising position on Russia's unjustified, unprovoked and brutal war against Ukraine, consider the provision of urgent and long-term aid to Ukraine, and declare support for the country until it wins the war.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to issue a message to the Sofia Session by videoconference.

The discussions will focus on putting into action NATO's commitment to promoting fundamental democratic values by setting up a Center for Democratic Resilience at NATO Headquarters. The NATO PA will consider the practical implementation of the bloc's new defence plans, the evolving position of the Alliance on air and anti-missile defence, and the fulfillment of the member states' obligations concerning defence spending and responsibility sharing.

The Sofia Session is to consider and adopt decisions on the requests of Malta and Kosovo to receive associate membership of the NATO PA. Challenges facing the Western Balkan countries and strategies to support at-risk partners and strengthen the bloc's engagement with the Global South will be discussed.