„Bulgaria will develop a new National Defense Plan after the NATO Summit in The Hague". This was announced by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov during his meeting with the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who is on an official visit to Bulgaria. The main topic of the conversation was the actions of the alliance member states after the NATO Summit in The Hague, including plans to increase defense investments in accordance with the new commitment to spending 5% of GDP – 3.5% for defense and 1.5% for defense-related investments.
“In the context of persistent instability caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine, Bulgaria continues to support the strengthening of NATO's deterrent and defensive capabilities, especially on the Alliance's Eastern flank and in the Black Sea region,” Zhelyazkov emphasized. The Prime Minister added that our country actively participates in initiatives such as the Multinational Battle Group, with Italy as the framework country, the Regional Component Command Headquarters of Special Operations with Romania, as well as the Naval Mine Action Group in the Black Sea with Romania and Turkey.
Prime Minister Zhelyazkov also stated that Bulgaria will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary, opposing any attempts at territorial concessions that would legitimize Russia's aggression.
The conversation also discussed the role of joint European defense initiatives, including the opportunities provided by the recently published “White Paper on Defense Readiness of Europe 2030”, as well as the new European SAFE instrument. The Prime Minister expressed support for enhanced coordination between NATO and the EU and stressed the importance of industrial cooperation with the US, UK, Canada and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
In the context of disinformation and hybrid threats, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov stressed that Bulgaria is exposed to aggressive propaganda narratives from Russia, which aim to undermine public trust and allied solidarity. That is why the Prime Minister called for a strengthened joint NATO response against manipulations in the information environment.