Bulgaria Halts Arms Shipments from Military Reserves to Ukraine

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev declared on Saturday that Sofia will halt the dispatch of weapons and ammunition from the reserves of the country’s armed forces to Ukraine. Radev stated on his Facebook page, “The Bulgarian government’s position is that no more weapons and ammunition will be sent from the reserves of the Bulgarian army to Ukraine.” He emphasized that Bulgaria does not intend to obstruct decisions by European Union member states to aid Kyiv, but it lacks the capacity to undertake further financial commitments. The Bulgarian Prime Minister also announced that his country will not participate in military exercises organized by coalitions of nations willing to support Ukraine, as such informal missions, in his view, damage the unity of the European Union and NATO. Radev had previously indicated that Bulgaria does not have the financial resources to grant loans to Ukraine. Referring to his country’s assistance to Ukraine, he noted, “Bulgaria has never stopped supporting Ukraine. We are providing free aid to thousands of Ukrainian families, supplying electricity, and participating in the repair of power systems and railway infrastructure.” He attributed Bulgaria’s financial limitations to an excessive budget deficit and the country’s obligation to adhere to the three-percent budget deficit ceiling, stating that they do not have additional financial resources for aid.