Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took his Bulgarian peer Rumen Radev to task over his stance against sending military aid to Kyiv at a heated press conference during Zelenskiy’s visit to Sofia on July 6.

Zelenskiy visited Bulgaria mainly to meet the new pro-Western and pro-Ukrainian government, but clashed openly with the Russia-oriented Radev. 

The visit, seen as a historic event for Bulgaria, came shortly after the new government was installed, and on the same day that the majority in parliament adopted an official resolution supporting Ukraine’s accession to Nato once the war is over. The reformist government of Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov has also pledged more decisive help for Kyiv. 

During Zelenskiy’s official visit at the presidency, Radev repeatedly called the war in Ukraine a “conflict” and once again said he was against government’s and parliament’s decision to provide military aid to Ukraine.

“The security environment is disturbing in our region as well. The conflict expands its spatial scope. It takes on new dimensions. Every day the risk of radioactive contamination in Europe is increasing. The conflict is turning into a war of exhaustion, into a global economic clash. This conflict has no military solution,” Radev said.

“I hope that the people of Bulgaria understand that this is not a conflict, but a war. In a conflict, the state is not being left by millions of people,” Zelenskiy said.

He added that one cannot seek a balance or support Russia as Russia wants to destroy Nato and the EU.

“You said you do not support the supply of ammunition as commander-in-chief so that you do not weaken your army. Or do you not support the strengthening of Ukraine? These are different things. Whatever you have will not be enough for your army to fight Russia if it comes here,” Zelenskiy said.

He added that one of the ways Russia is attempting to blackmail the world is through energy prices and through the seizure of the Zaporozhia nuclear power plant.

“The capture of this plant is also not a conflict but a war,” Zelenskiy said.

Radev responded that a diplomatic solution should be found.

“What other diplomacy should we use?” Zelenskiy asked.

“Russians took over the power plant to provoke a crisis … What other diplomatic efforts?” he added.

Zelenskiy also argued that it is Russia that is blocking the grain export deal, as Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN secretary-general Antoniu Guterres are facing significant difficulties with Russia.

“Russia thinks every day not to let the grain go. We do not control this corridor, Russia seized it in violation of law, in our territorial waters. The United Nations cannot negotiate with Russia. You see, that is the question,” Zelenskiy said.

He also asked Radev what his response would be if a tragedy happens in his country.

“And if people with shared values do not help, what will you do? You would say: Putin, please grab Bulgarian territory? No, you, as a real president, I am sure you would not compromise your independence. It is your right not to support aid to Ukraine. But I would really like you to understand me correctly,” Zelenskiy said.

Firmer support from the government

Zelenskiy visited Bulgaria mainly to meet the government that started working on stronger support for Kyiv on the day it took office a month ago.

“I want to thank you, Bulgaria, for supporting and protecting the lives of our people, for the moral strength of your decisions and for honestly recognising the reality and the existing threats,” Zelenskiy said.

After the start of the Russian war in Ukraine, thousands of Bulgarians voluntarily started helping Ukrainian refugees, providing them with accommodation, food and clothes. The then government of former pro-Western prime minister Kiril Petkov also reacted quickly to help Ukraine.

“It is a very difficult time for our country. I am very grateful to all the people, for the shelter, for the support. Ukraine will never forget that in such a difficult moment, of loss, of a struggle for human lives, you are with us,” Zelenskiy said.

Denkov said that Bulgaria is standing alongside Ukraine and that Russia should be held responsible for war crimes and all it is doing in Ukraine.

Deknov also said that Bulgaria will keep helping Ukraine with military equipment, trainings, medical assistance for injured soldiers and accommodation for refugees.

Denkov and Zelenskiy signed a declaration stating that Bulgaria will support Ukraine’s membership in the EU and Nato whenever that becomes possible.

On the same day, Bulgaria’s parliament adopted a resolution supporting Ukraine accession to Nato after the end of the war. It was backed by Gerb, Change Continues-Democratic Bulgaria, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) and There Are Such People (ITN), while the pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and far-right Vazrazhdane voted against.

"The most direct and desirable path for the restoration of peace in Ukraine, the Black Sea region and Europe is the complete and immediate voluntary withdrawal of Russia beyond the internationally recognised borders of all sovereign states affected by it," the declaration says.

The parliament also urged Russia to immediately end its nuclear blackmail.

Bulgaria’s parliament "supports the peace formula of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the purpose of which is a lasting and just peace," the text reads.

Energy cooperation

During Zelenskiy’s visit to Sofia, Ukraine and Bulgaria also signed an agreement on energy cooperation. Kyiv wants to acquire two nuclear reactors and equipment Bulgaria has purchased from Russia for the construction of a second nuclear power plant, located in Belene.

However, the project has been abandoned and revived several times in Bulgaria and ultimately the country decided to build new reactors at its existing Kozloduy NPP with US technology.

Ukraine would benefit from the equipment Bulgaria already has. A day earlier, the parliament in Sofia allowed the government to sell the equipment to Ukraine if necessary.

Denkov said that the two parties have already started talks on the equipment.

Meanwhile, Brussels is ready to finance the deal, Dnevnik news outlet reported.