site.btaParliament Hears PM Glavchev on Bulgaria’s Position for NATO Summit

Sending Bulgarian troops to Ukraine is out of the question, such a topic has not been discussed, nor will it be discussed, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said at his hearing in Parliament on Bulgaria's position for the NATO summit in Washington.

There is nothing worrisome in the position, Bulgaria's national interests are taken into account, as well as allied interests, he assured.

The position does not even hint at a participation of Bulgarian troops in Ukraine, Glavchev stressed.

He explained that the main topics on the agenda of the summit in Washington are related to support for Ukraine, strengthening the Alliance's deterrence and defence potential, deepening the Alliance's partnerships with the Asia-Pacific region - Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, etc.

Glavchev said that Bulgaria's position on support for Ukraine is based on our consistent national commitments expressed at various levels and formats of the Alliance as the only way to ensure lasting peace in Europe. Political and practical support for Ukraine remain a priority for Bulgaria, he stressed, adding that following seven decisions of the National Assembly this country is providing a wide range of measures to assist Kiyv - political, military, humanitarian and reconstruction - without compromising Bulgaria’s defence capabilities.

Among the most important decisions of the Washington summit will be the creation of a stable and predictable mechanism for the coordination of military assistance and training of the Ukrainian armed forces, the Prime Minister explained. In his words, this decision definitely does not involve NATO and Bulgaria as a country in the war, but leads to sustainable support for Ukraine in its right of self-defence.

Bulgaria is in favour of reaffirming NATO's support to Kiyv with military technical means, training of personnel outside Ukraine, Dimitar Glavchev explained. He said this country consistently defends the position that the financial mechanism should be based on a fair distribution of the burden among the allies, as well as on an objective assessment of the financial equivalent of the contribution. All this should be seen as a deepening of Ukraine's integration into NATO and a bridge to its future membership, Glavchev said.