site.btaUPDATED President Radev: "Sending NATO Troops to Ukraine Implies Global Clash"

"Sending NATO country's troops to Ukraine, even on the basis of a bilateral agreement, implies a global clash," Bulgarian President Rumen Radev told a news briefing here on Tuesday.

He commented on a statement by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday that "there's no consensus today to send in an official manner troops on the ground. But in terms of dynamics, nothing can be ruled out."

"We are following with interest and undisguised anxiety the European leaders' meetings in Paris, where public opinion on sending individual countries' troops is beginning to be tested," Radev said. "The strategy of giving more and more weapons is clearly not working. The big problem is no longer weapons, the big problem is that we are running out of people on the battlefield, and I believe that European leaders will show enough sense and a very balanced approach in supporting Ukraine, so that we do not end up with an extraordinary escalation and the risk of a third world war and a nuclear conflict," the Bulgarian head of State said.

"I expect the Bulgarian Prime Minister to provide more clarification on what he put forward yesterday as a readiness for a bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and Bulgaria," Radev said.

"I am urging a very carefully considered and balanced approach. We cannot leave Ukraine alone, because that would compromise faith in our own principles and values and in international law. Every country has the right to defend its sovereignty, freedom and independence. We cannot afford reckless actions that could lead to a global military clash," the President argued. "We see that the strategy of achieving victory on the battlefield by military means has not yielded the desired result for two years. The number of casualties and devastation is growing," the head of State added.