At the ninth summit of the European Political Community in Dublin, Bulgaria gave qualified support to France’s initiative on key principles of European security. This was announced by the government information service after the DPA news agency initially reported that Bulgaria was the only EU country not to support the joint declaration. The non-EU countries participating in the European Political Community that did not sign the declaration are: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey.
The government press service specified that Rumen Radev had expressed written reservations about the preamble to the declaration, calling for the political messages to be adapted to the current stage of the negotiations so that they would not hinder the achievement of a common solution in the interests of peace. However, the press service’s statement does not specify which part of the opening section of the declaration the Bulgarian prime minister refused to support. The preamble is the only place in the text where Russia is mentioned.
Bulgaria supports the achievement of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine through negotiations, with the new round of talks in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the United States, being an important step in this direction, the government press service also said. It added that European positions should support this process, which is why Bulgaria insists that the language of common European documents reflect the dynamics of developments and expectations from the peace negotiations.
Here is what the declaration’s preamble says
"Committed to peace and respect for international law, and confronted with an unprovoked full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as growing threats to stability in Europe, the states signing this document - gathered for the 9th summit of the European Political Community in Dublin on 12 November 2026 - define strengthening European security and protecting their security interests as their common goal.
The states signing the document reaffirm their staunch support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
They underline the need to provide Ukraine with solid and credible security guarantees and confirm - to the interested parties - their intention to do so in order to prevent the recurrence of aggression in Europe in the future.
They stress that Russia’s hybrid campaigns and its attempts to undermine support for Ukraine will only strengthen their commitment to Ukraine, as well as their resolve.
The states signing the document recall that the path to peace in Ukraine must be determined jointly with Ukraine, and that any issue concerning European security must be resolved jointly with Europeans.
They believe that the following key principles of European security can contribute to finding a path towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, which is of paramount importance for stability in Europe.
They underline that Ukraine’s security is an integral part of Euro-Atlantic security and that the future development of European strategic stability will depend on how the war in Ukraine ends."
What Radev told journalists in Dublin
Speaking to Bulgarian journalists in Dublin, Radev commented that Bulgaria supports the declaration in its operative section, where "we have clearly stated principles for joint efforts to counter organised crime, terrorism, hybrid attacks, the production and distribution of drugs, and illegal migration. But we also recognise that negotiations are finally under way, at a high diplomatic level, for a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine. It is precisely here that we believe the language of common European documents should reflect the dynamics of these political processes - especially with regard to the negotiations (...) we expressed reservations about the preamble to the declaration so that the wording would reflect precisely this dynamic. In order to enable us to have a broader scope for dialogue."
Radev added to journalists: "This is a document accepted by Bulgaria, but the record contains my written reservation only regarding the preamble. We accept and welcome everything else. This is a very important declaration".
The document is not legally binding
The declaration was drafted at France’s initiative, published on the official website of the French presidency, where Bulgaria is listed among the signatory states - without any mention of reservations. The document is political and is not legally binding.
You can read the full text of the declaration, signed by 39 countries and published in French and English on the website of the President of the French Republic, here: link to the declaration.