Minister Georgiev to BBC: Europe and the European Union Must Continue to Engage Constructively and Strategically with the U.S. Administration
10 March 2025 News
"Bulgaria welcomes the commitment of President Trump's administration to stop this aggressive war against Ukraine in order to achieve lasting and sustainable peace. The important thing now, however, is how exactly we will achieve this common goal that we share. We believe that Europe and the European Union must continue to engage constructively and strategically with the U.S. administration." This was stated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev in his interview this morning with the British radio BBC, in which he presented our country's position on key issues related to the war in Ukraine and transatlantic relations, against the backdrop of dynamic developments in recent weeks.
"We must be wise and diplomatic in order to protect our transatlantic relations and the security of both the European continent and the world," Georgiev added.
Asked whether Bulgaria and Ukraine can count on the United States as an ally in the same way as before, Minister Georgiev said that a U.S. withdrawal would have serious political and military consequences. "As our biggest and strongest ally in NATO, and as a friend and partner of the EU, I think there is no reason not to trust each other. I believe that only with joint efforts can we achieve our goals," said Minister Georgiev and added that after the recent events and the commitment of both Ukraine and the U.S. on the one hand, and Europe on the other, we can expect a good result. "We trust the U.S. and have no reason to think otherwise," he emphasized.
Minister Georgiev also highlighted the significant role of Bulgaria, which has so far provided 10 aid packages for Ukraine, including military, political, financial, and diplomatic assistance. "Bulgaria ranks 9th among NATO allies in absolute value of the provided assistance, which gives a different weight to our position and arguments for full participation in future peace decisions. Bulgaria's position is strengthened by seven decisions taken by the National Assembly, and we intend to continue in this spirit," our Foreign Minister assured.
Regarding the possibility of sending Bulgarian peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, the Minister was adamant that at the moment the Bulgarian position is clear, recalling the decision of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, which excludes the participation of a Bulgarian contingent. He stressed that until there is established peace in Ukraine, the inclusion of Bulgarian troops is an impossible decision for Bulgaria.