Bulgaria Ends Weapon Support to Ukraine, Urges Diplomacy

Bulgaria’s Defense Minister, Dimitar Stoyanov, announced on Tuesday that the country will cease sending weapons to Ukraine. In Sofia, he stated, “The war in Ukraine will not be resolved on the battlefield. What we are witnessing is a war of attrition, and the accumulation of weaponry only leads to more human loss.”

Stoyanov emphasized that Ukraine requires more manpower rather than additional arms. He commented, “Ukraine has enough weapons, so we do not plan to supply more to the Ukrainian army.” This decision aligns with Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s stance, who has consistently advocated for diplomatic solutions over military aid. Radev’s government came to power following a substantial election win in April.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Bulgaria, as a NATO and European Union member, has been providing military assistance to Ukraine. Initially, the assistance involved mainly Soviet-era weaponry, which played a crucial role in the early stages of the conflict. However, due to internal political issues, the military aid was primarily routed through third countries. Stoyanov highlighted the necessity of negotiations “to seek a just peace defined by both sides.”

Stoyanov also stressed the European Union’s significant role, noting, “It would be difficult to assign the EU a mediator role because it has already supported Ukraine in this war.” Furthermore, he announced Bulgaria’s strategy to boost defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.