site.btaDefence Minister Atanas Zapryanov to Attend NATO Summit in Washington

Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov will take part in the NATO Summit that will be held in Washington D.C. from July 9 to 11, 2024. Zapryanov will be part of the Bulgarian delegation, led by caretaker Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dimitar Glavchev. The Bulgarian delegation will include Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov and Deputy Minister of Defence Adelina Nikolova, said the press centre of the line ministry on Monday.

The NATO Summit will mark the 75th anniversary of the most successful alliance in history. The forum will focus on the strength, significance and relevance of NATO in the current environment of serious security challenges. This will  be the first meeting of the heads of state and government with the participation of 32 allies. The accession of Finland and Sweden is further evidence of the Alliance's role as a security factor on a wider scale.

The allies will discuss and take next steps to build on decisions related to strengthening the Alliance's deterrence and defence capabilities and support for Ukraine, as well as the development of global partnerships.

The forum will begin on July 10 with a meeting of the North Atlantic Council in an allied format.

The meeting will continue with parallel dinners in the formats of heads of state and government, ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of defence. Partners from the Indo-Pacific region and Ukraine are also invited to the defence ministers' dinner.

On the second day of the forum, a working session will be held in the format of heads of state and government with the participation of Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the EU. The summit will end with a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov will also participate in a special event on July 9, dedicated to the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Alliance, which will be held in the hall where the Washington Treaty was signed in 1949.