Bulgaria will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine and is seeking cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Bulgarian government said.
This policy shift signals a significant departure from the regional consensus among NATO and European Union allies supporting Ukraine. By halting military aid, Bulgaria risks creating a strategic gap in the Black Sea region and altering the diplomatic landscape of Eastern Europe.
Defence Minister Dmytro Stoyanov announced the decision in Sofia. He said the move follows the April 2024 parliamentary elections that brought the Progressive Bulgaria party to power. Stoyanov said that the conflict in Ukraine has become a war of attrition that will not be decided on the battlefield, rendering further arms deliveries futile.
"Війна на виснаження і, мовляв, на полі бою вирішена вона не буде," Stoyanov said [1].
Before this policy reversal, Bulgaria had provided 13 military aid packages to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion [1]. The decision to cease these shipments comes as the new administration prioritizes a different diplomatic approach toward Moscow.
This shift occurs alongside other regional tensions. While Bulgaria moves toward cooperation with Russia, other leaders in the region have expressed varying degrees of support for the Russian presidency. For example, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban previously promised to do everything possible to help the Russian leader [2].
Bulgaria's decision to stop the flow of weaponry marks a sharp turn for a nation that had previously contributed multiple rounds of hardware to the Ukrainian defense effort. The government has not yet detailed the specific nature of the cooperation it seeks with President Putin, but the cessation of military aid is immediate.
“Bulgaria will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine”
The transition of power to the Progressive Bulgaria party reflects a growing internal political divide within the EU regarding the sustainability of long-term military aid. By labeling the conflict a 'war of attrition,' Sofia is signaling a move toward a negotiated settlement or a neutral stance, potentially emboldening other skeptical European nations to reduce their support for Kyiv.
