The Ambassador of Bulgaria to Ukraine Zlatin Krastev presented copies of his credentials to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleksandr Mishchenko. This is stated in a message published on the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Ukraine.
The ceremony took place less than 24 hours after Ambassador Krastev's arrival in Kiev on July 31, as evidence of the importance that the Ukrainian side attaches to the development of bilateral relations with Bulgaria, our diplomatic mission indicates. Ambassador Krastev himself announced the ceremony on July 31 on his Facebook account.
Ambassador Krastev is the first Bulgarian ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Ukraine after a nearly four and a half year break since the start of the war, our embassy informs.
During the meeting with Deputy Minister Mishchenko, the possibilities for activating political dialogue, expanding economic cooperation, developing transport and energy connectivity, as well as the exchange of experience in the field of defense innovations, based on pragmatism and mutually beneficial partnership, were discussed.
The talks focused on security in the Black Sea region, including ensuring the safety of commercial shipping. Bulgaria's consistent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine was also confirmed, including efforts to quickly achieve a lasting and just peace.
"Among the topics of the discussion were the sharing of the Bulgarian experience from the negotiation process for accession to the EU, as well as the role of the Bulgarian community in Ukraine in the development of bilateral relations. The possibilities for holding consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Ukraine in a short time were also discussed", our diplomatic representation in the Ukrainian capital added.
Zlatin Krastev was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Ukraine by a presidential decree issued on November 19, 2025.
Krastev is a former Deputy Minister of Defense, as well as a career diplomat with many years of experience from the permanent delegation of Bulgaria to NATO, BTA reports.
Bulgaria has not had an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Kiev since the end of 2022. On September 14, 2022, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision proposing to the President to issue a decree dismissing Kostadin Kodzhabashev from the position of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Ukraine.
The government proposal was in connection with the appointment of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from Kodzhabashev. By his decree of September 16, 2022, published in the "State Gazette", the President dismissed Kostadin Kodzhabashev from the post of Ambassador to Ukraine. He had held the post since November 30, 2018. After that, the acting head of the embassy of our country in Ukraine was German Vanchev. In mid-2024, the caretaker government with Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev appointed Nikolay Nenchev as the acting head of the embassy. Nenchev is the acting head until 2025. The website of the embassy in Kiev states that the acting head until the election of Zlatin Krastev is Elena Slatinska-Ovanezova.