Ukraine's Foreign Ministry comments on military assistance from Bulgaria

Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, has stated that Ukraine does not receive free military aid from Bulgaria and that defence cooperation between the two countries is conducted on a commercial basis.

As reported by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, the comments came after Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said that Bulgaria will no longer provide military assistance to Ukraine.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry stressed that defence cooperation with Bulgaria is based on mutual benefit. Tykhyi explained that Ukraine receives the defence equipment it needs, while Bulgarian companies and the country's defence industry gain opportunities for development.

He added that Kyiv expects this cooperation to continue.

"We are grateful to Bulgaria and grateful that such projects are possible. This cooperation is commercial and mutually beneficial, and it allows us to move more quickly towards peace arrangements," he said.

Since 2022, Bulgaria has approved 13 military aid packages for Ukraine, although the value and contents of those packages have remained classified.

In March 2026, Bulgaria joined the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative to procure US-made weapons for Ukraine. In the same month, the Bulgarian government signed a 10-year security agreement with Ukraine.

In April, the Progressive Bulgaria party, led by pro-Russian former president Rumen Radev, won Bulgaria's parliamentary elections, securing a commanding 44.59% of the vote.

Radev has repeatedly made pro-Russian statements, including describing occupied Crimea as Russian territory. Last month, the Bulgarian prime minister said that the European Union should take a leading role in negotiations with Russia aimed at ending its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.