site.btaPM Petkov to Pay Working Visit to US

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov will pay a working visit to Washington, D.C., on May 9 and 10. At the invitation of Munich Security Conference (MSC) President Christoph Heusgen, he will participate in a Munich Leaders Meeting, the Government Information Service said on Saturday.

At the MSC-hosted event, some 80 senior decision-makers and experts from both sides of the Atlantic, including heads of state and government, foreign and defence ministers and parliamentarians, will discuss how transatlantic partners can build a more future-proof alliance and advance joint action and leadership on the most pressing security challenges, including the current war in Ukraine.

Petkov's visit is part of the Government's plan for coordinated tackling of the gas and inflation issues through closer interaction with international partners, the press release said.

During his stay in Washington, the PM will also confer with senior US government officials and with World Bank President David Malpass in a bid to reassert Bulgaria's close partnership with the US and the international community.

The talks will focus on measures to ensure Bulgaria's energy independence and security in the wake of Gazprom's unilateral suspension of gas supplies. Petkov will raise issues on Bulgaria's agenda within the context of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, including the preservation and assertion of Bulgarian sovereignty in energy, defence and investments.

The head of government will be accompanied on the trip by Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov, Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov and Deputy Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova.