site.btaSpecific Aspects of Bulgarian Aid to Be Discussed Next Week with Ukrainian Delegation

A delegation from Ukraine will arrive in Sofia next week for to-the-point talks on specific aspects of Bulgaria's aid to that country, Bulgarian Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov said on National Television Friday morning.

On May 4, the Bulgarian Parliament mandated the Government to provide humanitarian, financial and military technological assistance to Ukraine, including repair of Ukrainian military equipment in this country, within Bulgaria's capacity.

Commenting on the National Assembly resolution, Zakov described it as a "compromise" which nevertheless enables the Government to take specific steps.

Replying to a question, the Defence Minister said that Bulgaria has "sufficient resources to repair Ukrainian military equipment, and not just armour but any kind of equipment."

He was adamant that Bulgaria's national security is not under a direct military threat, but the war which is being waged several hundred kilometres away poses serious risks. Zakov singled out the hybrid war as another challenge to Bulgaria.

"NATO actually guarantees our national security and territorial integrity, as do the Bulgarian Armed Forces under the Constitution," the Defence Minister said.

Approached for comment by journalists on Friday morning, President Rumen Radev described Parliament's resolution on aid for Ukraine as "a dangerous step towards embroiling Bulgaria into the war" and argued that the parties "are ignoring sound reason".

"I expect really reasonable solutions because the phrase 'military technological assistance' itself is sufficiently unspecific and risky," the head of State pointed out. He once again called on Bulgarian politicians "to weigh carefully the consequences of their words and not to open a rift in our society". "The passions of the war should not be allowed to spill over in Bulgaria," Radev insisted.