Caretaker Defence Minister: Aid Bulgaria sends Ukraine is defensive, no need for restrictions

Sofia: The aid that Bulgaria sends to Ukraine is defensive and there is no need to set restrictions on its use, Bulgaria’s caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said in a television interview on June 1.

At the Nato Parliamentary Assembly held in Bulgaria’s capital city Sofia from May 25 to 27, there were discussions on whether Ukraine could fire at legitimate military targets on Russian territory, using military aid provided by the Nato Allies for this purpose.

Nato member states remained divided on the issue.

Zapryanov told bTV in the June 1 interview: “Regarding our aid to Ukraine, we adhere to the UN Charter, and everything we have sent is of a defensive nature”.

Responding to Bulgarian President Roumen Radev’s claim that all Nato Allies are involved in the war in Ukraine in one way or another, Zapryanov rejected it.

“No, this is not true, it does not correspond to the UN Charter – the aid does not have the character of direct participation in the conflict. Currently, there are 53 military conflicts in the world – if we use this logic, anyone who helps someone in such a conflict is part of it,” Zapryanov said.

He reiterated that the sending of Bulgarian military personnel to Ukraine had never been discussed – neither by the previous elected government, “even more so now” by the caretaker government.

Zapryanov issued a reminder that according to Bulgaria’s constitution, a government has no authority to send troops anywhere. This may be done only with the consent of the National Assembly.

“The caretaker government implements the decisions of the Bulgarian Parliament, and they are that we participate in the training of the Ukrainian military forces outside the territory of Ukraine,” he said.