On 14 July, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who keeps trying to keep Bulgaria out of EU military aid for Ukraine, said he wanted “to make it clear that Ukraine insists on fighting this war,” and added, “But it should also be clear that the bill is paid by the whole of Europe.”
In a statement published on 15 July, the Ukrainian Embassy in Bulgaria said Ukraine wants peace most of all, and it is Russia that insists on waging war. Ukraine “is making every possible effort to restore peace.”
“Shifting the blame to Ukraine, which has been treacherously attacked by its northern neighbor, for waging war is one of the most common supporting theses of Russian propaganda and hybrid warfare in Europe,” the Embassy wrote.
The Embassy stressed that military aid for Ukraine does not increase casualties and destruction, “on the contrary, it means more lives saved for ordinary citizens, their families and children,” and for their homes.
On 6 July, after Radev’s remarks at a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart that there was “no military solution” and that “more and more weapons will not solve it,” Zelenskyy lambasted the Bulgarian head of state, saying;
“God forbid some tragedy should befall you and you should be in my place,” Zelenskyy said. “And if people with shared values do not help, what will you do? You would say: Putin, please grab Bulgarian territory? No, […] I am sure you would not allow a compromise with your independence. It is your right not to support aid to Ukraine. But I would really like you to understand me correctly.”
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