Bulgaria declines to join Macron's “Coalition of the Willing” on Ukraine

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgaria will not join the "Coalition of the Willing," a group of countries supporting continued financial and military assistance to Ukraine, despite receiving a personal invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron.

Speaking to Bulgarian journalists in Paris ahead of France's Bastille Day military parade, Radev said Sofia's position remains focused on pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the war, Caliber.Az reports per Bulgarian media.

“I personally received an invitation from President Macron for Bulgaria to join the ‘Coalition of the Willing’, but we are not taking part in a coalition pushing for continued financial and military aid to Ukraine,” Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.

“I believe that the solution to this conflict does not lie in prolonging it through military means, but in a strong diplomatic mission that will finally put an end to the escalation,” Radev added.

Asked about the new "Freya" anti-ballistic missile coalition and whether Bulgaria has an interest in participating, Radev said issues concerning the country's collective security are addressed within the frameworks of NATO and the European Union.

“We have seen many proposals and ideas so far, but decisions are made in other formats, and Bulgaria actively participates in all of these formats,” the prime minister said.

By Sabina Mammadli