All articles tagged with #radev
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev argued in parliament that Western military support for Ukraine helped provoke Russia’s alleged attack on Leipzig Airport, warning that long-range weapons raise risks and urging Europe to seek negotiations with Moscow; Germany has accused Russia of the hybrid attack, which Moscow denies amid ongoing peace talks efforts.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgaria doesn’t belong in the Coalition of the Willing because continued financial and military aid to Ukraine prolongs the conflict, signaling a diplomatic pivot after his April election win. Sofia will not send further military aid but says defense cooperation with Kyiv can continue commercially, and Radev skipped the coalition summit as Bulgaria shifts away from Kyiv’s allies.
Bulgaria’s Progressive Bulgaria party won a decisive victory, giving Rumen Radev room to pursue a pragmatic, possibly closer energy relationship with Russia while maintaining formal EU and NATO commitments. Analysts say he won’t become Orban 2.0, and Bulgaria will likely stay within the European consensus, though it may be more cautious on sanctions and military aid to Ukraine and could test boundaries on policy over time.
Exit polls project Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria to win Bulgaria's parliamentary election with about 38.1% of the vote, ahead of GERB on 15.9% and the We Continue the Change-DB coalition on 14.1%. Official results are due later; Radev said he’s willing to work with rivals while noting Bulgaria could still form a minority or coalition government amid post‑election debates over Russia/Ukraine ties.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy criticized Bulgarian President Radev's opposition to arming Ukraine during a tense televised exchange in Sofia. Zelenskyy argued that more weapons were necessary to defend against Russia's aggression and urged Radev to understand the gravity of the situation. Radev, who is more sympathetic to Russia and equivocal on NATO, suggested a proposal but asked for the TV cameras to leave before continuing the discussion.