Bulgaria will stop funding lethal weapons for Ukraine
The Bulgarian government will no longer provide funding for lethal weapons for Ukraine through the European Peace Fund (EPF). Going forward, the country plans to allocate funds solely for non-lethal aid.
“Bulgaria will provide only non-lethal aid to Ukraine; furthermore, it will insist that Bulgarian funding be directed primarily to regions with ethnic Bulgarian populations,” the country’s government stated.
Rumen Radev’s government justified this decision by citing Bulgaria’s strategic interest “in ending hostilities near its borders, as well as in supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while opposing a protracted military conflict.”
“Focusing exclusively on non-military aid sends a clear signal to the international community: Bulgaria supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but rejects the logic of an endless military standoff and seeks ways to open diplomatic channels for negotiations,” the government stated.
It is noted that Bulgaria’s contribution to the European Peace Fund (EPF) this year amounts to just over 9 million euros, although no specific portion has been allocated for the purchase of weapons for Ukraine.
Earlier this year, based on a decision by Rosen Zhelyazkov’s previous government adopted in February, the country had already provided Ukraine with over 6 million euros in aid through this mechanism.
The European Peace Fund has been in operation since 2021, and its total budget exceeds 17 billion euros. In September of this year, the European Union approved the allocation of more than 6 billion euros to finance the purchase of weapons for Ukraine.
Bulgaria received over 3 million euros in reimbursement through this fund following the transfer of military equipment.
This was stated in a government press release on October 21, as reported by Novinite.
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