Bulgarian new government will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine

Bulgaria will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine, the country's Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said.

"We have already made it clear that the war in Ukraine will not be resolved on the battlefield. We are witnessing a war of attrition, and no matter how much weaponry is amassed, the only result is the loss of human lives. It is time to sit down at the negotiating table," he said during a press conference.

Politico reported that the move consolidates Bulgaria's new government's opposition to EU support for Ukraine after pro-Russian Prime Minister Rumen Radev won parliamentary elections in April.

However, Politico adds that although the country's new government has taken a more Russia-friendly stance, it has refrained from open confrontation with Brussels over Ukraine.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Bulgaria has sent 13 aid packages to Kyiv.

In March 2026, Bulgaria joined the PURL initiative to purchase US weapons for Ukraine.

In April, Progressive Bulgaria, a party led by former president Rumen Radev, who is widely regarded as pro-Russian, won Bulgaria’s parliamentary elections. The party secured a convincing victory with 44.59% of the vote.

Radev served as Bulgaria’s president from 2017 to 2026. During his presidency, he repeatedly made pro-Russian statements, including describing occupied Crimea as Russian territory. His party, Progressive Bulgaria, will hold an outright majority in the newly elected parliament.

Last month, Radev stated that the European Union should take the lead in negotiations with Russia aimed at bringing an end to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.