site.btaForeign Minister Kondov, EU Commissioner Urpilainen Discuss Global Geopolitical Situation

Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Kondov met with the European Commissioner for Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen here on Tuesday, Kondov's Ministry reported. Urpilainen, who is in Sofia for a working visit, and Kondov discussed the current geopolitical situation, including the multiple crises the world is facing, and their impact on international development cooperation, with emphasis on Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine and its regional and global implications, as well as developments in the Middle East.

The two agreed that in the current complex geopolitical context, it is important to maintain the EU's leading role as the world's largest donor in international development cooperation. There was a common view that the EU's investment strategy for building sustainable infrastructure, the Global Gateway, is key to addressing the most pressing global challenges, including climate change, green and digital transformation, health, education.

Kondov said that he firmly believes that this strategy is the right way to build sustainable partnerships based on trust and common interests. He stressed the importance for Bulgaria of the implementation of one of the flagship projects of the Global Gateway, the Pan-European Transport Corridor 8.

Kondov and Urpilainen concurred that enhanced coordination between EU Member States and European institutions is key to overcoming the many challenges.