site.btaUPDATED Each B9 Country to Decide Its Own Form of Support for Ukraine, Says President Radev

Upon his arrival in Riga for the B9 Summit on Tuesday, President Rumen Radev said that this year the summit will be different as for the first time there will not be a joint declaration from all participants due to a lack of consensus regarding the different views on how to achieve a solution to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Instead, there will be a statement by the two summit co-chairs - Poland and Romania, and the host Latvia, explained Radev.

B9, or the Bucharest Nine, is a regional format for consultation and dialogue on security issues. NATO member countries Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia and Poland participate in the format. Finland and Sweden have also been invited to Riga, represented by President Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, respectively.

The presidents of two B9 countries will be absent from the meeting, Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, and the head of State of Slovakia, where Peter Pellegrini is supposed to take over the post from Zuzana Caputova. These two countries will be represented by their ambassadors in Latvia.

Radev went on to explain that the initial proposal for a joint statement, which included the obligation of each B9 country to provide military assistance, was changed at his express insistence and as a result, a position was adopted that each country should decide for itself, at its own discretion and according to its own capabilities, whether and how to help Ukraine - whether with military, with financial or with humanitarian aid.

“Yes, we all want Ukraine to restore its territorial integrity. I reiterate that we must take the realities into account Because the realities are that Ukraine - alone - does not have the material, financial, or human resources to achieve this goal," said the Bulgarian head of State.

He stressed that there are two ways to achieve the goals in question - one is with peace negotiations, and the other is with providing material, financial and human resources from the NATO countries.  

Radev stressed that he considers the decision to let each country make their own choice how to support Ukraine an important step in shifting the focus from seeking a solution to this war on the battlefield, which leads to casualties, destruction, uncontrolled escalation and a growing risk to global peace, to seeking a negotiated solution in accordance with the UN Charter.

He added that the B9 countries will support the international peace summit in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War which will be held in Switzerland on June 15-16, although we it will be really difficult, with limited expectations, as for a full-fledged peace negotiation, both sides must be there.

"I will again stress at this meeting the firm determination of our country to develop its own defense capacity and contribute to the strengthening of the defensive and deterrent potential of NATO's Eastern flank," Radev also said.

This year Bulgaria reached 2 % of GDP in defense expenses, Radev said and noted that Parliament finally adopted an ambitious programme for the modernization of the armed forces.

“Also, as President, I will insist on creating more extensive systems to include the armed forces in the unified information space. Only with a joint effort can we withstand any challenges and ensure our common security ", the President pointed out.