The US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan has been touring Central and Eastern Europe in the recent days. His visit in the region coincides with the renewal of the economic sanctions against Russia, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine near the Kerch Strait and the resolution of the European Parliament against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. According to Moscow, the European Parliament’s resolution against the construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline project has been adopted under pressure by the United States.

John J. Sullivan arrived in Sofia only one day after the sitting of the European Council in Brussels where Bulgaria’s Premier Boyko Borissov commented some of the latest topics. Borissov called on Moscow to release the detained Ukrainian sailors. The geostrategic projects should cross Bulgaria, this country’s Premier Borissov said adding that there is no war in areas with gas pipelines and nuclear reactors. Several hours after Sweden’s Premier announced that his country improved the offer to supply Gripen fighter jets to Bulgaria, Boyko Borissov said in Brussels that he expected the USA to improve their offer for supply of F16 combat aircraft as well. Borissov said he did not want to influence the process but “from what I heard from the pilots, a new F16 is significantly better than all the rest that are on offer”. His statement was followed by comments that he practically predetermined the choice of US fighter jets which, unlike the Swedish combat aircraft were used in real fight.

John J. Sullivan discussed during his visit in Sofia topics related to energy projects and diversification of gas supplies. The US Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan was assured by Bulgaria’s Premier Boyko Borissov that by 2024 Bulgaria will increase military spending to 2% of its gross domestic product and will allot more financing to the defense sector. During the meeting with Bulgaria’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva John J. Sullivan said that it was of strategic importance for Bulgaria to diversify its energy routes and energy sources. Minister Zaharieva said that for the purpose, Bulgaria decided to take a minority stake of 20% in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Alexandroupoli (Greece).

Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s Minster of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova announced at the Bulgarian National Assembly that in view of Russia’s plans to stop using the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline through Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria by 2020 and shift gas supplies to the future Turkish Stream pipeline, Bulgaria wants to amend the contract for transit of Russian gas through its territory, so that Russia guarantees to transit the current quantities of gas through Turkish Stream gas pipeline. However, Premier Borissov associates the signature of a contract for gas transit via the Turkish Stream pipeline with the construction of a gas hub on Bulgarian territory. Boyko Borissov contends that the Balkan gas hub must be constructed, because if Bulgaria builds a pipeline for gas transit to Serbia only it may lose 3 billion if transit of Russian gas is suspended one day.

According to some observers, the visit of US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan resembles the visit of US Senators John Mc Cain, Ron Johnson and Christopher Murphy in 2014 when the cabinet headed by former Premier Plamen Oresharski suspended the South Stream. Four years later, Russia has not decided yet whether the extension of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline will cross Bulgaria (to Serbia and Hungary), or would choose the Greek option (via Greece to Italy). Shortly after the end of the visit of John J. Sullivan to Sofia the Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Anatoly Makarov pointed out that in 2018 the Bulgaria-Russia relations have improved. Although a visit of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to Sofia has not been planned yet, this may happen if Bulgaria and Russia make new economic and trade agreements, if the extension of the Turkish Stream crosses Bulgaria and a new development under the Belene nuclear power plant project occurs. At the end of 2018 Sofia has the difficult task to balance between the interests of the EU, Washington and Russia. However, this balancing would be made within the context of this country’s membership in NATO and the European Union which makes the perspective to the Bulgaria-Russia relations not that promising.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov