EU country quits Coalition of Willing and halts aid to Ukraine
Photo: Leaders of European Union countries (Getty Images)
Bulgaria will no longer take part in the Coalition of the Willing supporting Ukraine and is refusing to provide any further military or financial assistance to Kyiv, the announcement was made by the country's prime minister, Rumen Radev, according to Bloomberg.
According to the Bulgarian prime minister, Sofia is withdrawing from formats that advocate a military solution to the conflict. He argued that only a strong diplomatic effort can stop the escalation.
Radev, who has long criticized military support for Ukraine, once again stressed the need for what he called "pragmatic" relations with the Kremlin. At the same time, he rejected accusations that he holds pro-Russian views.
Bulgaria had previously attended meetings of the Coalition of the Willing but did not send a representative to the latest gathering in Paris.
Support for Ukraine
After Rumen Radev took office in May, Bulgaria officially suspended military aid to Ukraine. However, the country has continued to sell weapons and ammunition to Kyiv.
Bulgaria remains one of the European Union's largest producers of Soviet-caliber artillery shells. Those supplies played a key role in sustaining Ukraine's armed forces during the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that the Coalition of the Willing continues to expand. Following the Paris meeting, participants agreed to hold the next summit in Ukraine and announced that two additional countries would join the initiative.
Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland will host the Coalition of the Willing's first military exercises this autumn. The drills will focus on developing mechanisms for guaranteeing Ukraine's security.
