Bloomberg: Bulgaria’s New Government to Stop Supplying Weapons to Ukraine

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rumen Radev

Bulgaria’s newly-appointed government plans to end providing weapons to Ukraine in a move that would run counter to European attempts to pressure Russia to end the war.

“Ukraine needs more people, not more armament,” Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told reporters in Sofia on Tuesday. He called for “just peace that will be defined by both sides participating in the conflict.”

His comments echo Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s stance that the war won’t be solved on the battlefield. Radev — a former air force commander who served as president until January — has repeatedly opposed the European Union’s military support for Kyiv.

He has also called for lifting sanctions against Kremlin on grounds they hurt the European economy. The prime minister, who took office last month, has promised to increase Bulgaria’s role in common European decisions.

The Balkan country is among the EU’s biggest producers of Soviet-standard ammunition that was crucial for Kyiv in the early days of the war. While the government officially refused to provide direct military aid back then, Bulgarian shells found their way to the frontline through exports to other EU countries.

Since 2022, Bulgaria has sent 13 packages of military aid, but has kept their value and content classified.

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