“What we need is a comprehensive strategy on how to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, but also how to win peace afterwards,” said Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev at the Bucharest 9 summit in Warsaw, the presidential press service has announced. In the words of the President, the focus should be on attaining a rational balance between military, economic and diplomatic instruments. He pointed out further that Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine is increasing the threat to peace, security and stability in our region, but also in the whole of Europe.

“For a year, the conflict has been putting to the test the social and the economic systems of the European countries, and has meant looking for new secure supply routes for energy and other resources for coping with the crisis,” Rumen Radev said. He noted that the degraded security environment calls for real action for consolidating the national defence capacity of the individual NATO member countries that will contribute to overall security. Bulgaria is rendering support to Ukraine within its capabilities and will continue to support the international efforts for finding a sustainable solution to the war in Ukraine, the President stated.

This year, the format for political dialogue, involving the NATO members Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia and Poland, was joined by US President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.