BG

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov: To end the war, Russia must withdraw completely from the Ukrainian territory

02.06.2022

The only solution to the war is for Russia to withdraw completely from the Ukrainian territory. Anything other than that would be tantamount to a frozen conflict and instability. This is what Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said as a participant in the international GlobSec Bratislava Forum. He was firm that any compromise on the issue would be out of the question. In his words, the Ukrainians are fighting for Europe and it is important that the EU speak in one voice in support to Ukraine.  The Prime Minister cited as an example Bulgaria’s strong reaction following the unilateral shutoff by Gazprom of the gas supplies. Kiril Petkov pointed out that the country did not allow to be bullied and defended its national interest while it demonstrated leadership in Europe on this key energy issue.

The Prime Minister emphasized that despite the complicated domestic political situation in Bulgaria, the country decided to offer both humanitarian and military-technical assistance to Kyiv. Kiril Petkov noted that Bulgaria would repair 80 Ukrainian tanks and that this would be of real practical benefit to Ukraine.

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov gave special attention to the need to view the infrastructure and connectivity in Europe from a more strategic perspective so as to fill the existing logistic gaps. In his opinion, this would furnish an opportunity to increase the capital gains in defense and security and to strengthen the Eastern Flank. So in the future we will not have to engage in discussions like the one we are having now whose motto is “I hate to say I told you so”, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister said further.

 

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov attended the leaders’ panel together with Eduard Heger, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, and with Krišjānis Kariņš, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia.