We have not exhausted the means of diplomacy to resolve the war in Ukraine, said Prime Minister Rumen Radev today in an interview with "Euronews" television in Brussels within the framework of a high-level forum organized by the media and dedicated to defense and space, BTA reported.
We need to listen to the concerns of both sides, he added. We need to continue supporting Ukraine, but the most important thing is to prepare the conditions for peace. There is a limit to the supply of weapons, because the final steps will be taken through diplomacy, not through weapons supplies, the Prime Minister pointed out.
Our call is for mutual listening and for open channels of communication. The problem is that no one raises the issue of the nuclear threat. Does it exist? Maybe not, I don't know. We should always think about whether we are ready for the most dangerous scenario. How much pressure can we put on Russia before it responds in a different way, Radev asked.
I am not at all an advocate for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. When Putin feels strong, he does not talk about nuclear weapons, but when Russia feels weak, they start talking about atomic weapons again. I am simply reminding you that we must keep this in mind. We cannot close our eyes to the fact that Russia has nuclear power in Europe and this is included in the calculations. No one takes this into account, Radev pointed out.
My political obligation to speak within the framework of the politically accepted does not always coincide with my military experience and my education in strategic assessment. For example, the war in Ukraine has created a challenge not only for our security architecture and our production base, but also for our unity and capabilities, and most of all for our critical thinking and realistic approach. Our ability to realistically assess the war in depth was affected. Our ability to define achievable political goals and implement them in a military strategy was most affected, our ability to define what victory is and how to outline the path to it in order to achieve peace, the Prime Minister said.
It is very sad that if a person deviates from the usual political discourse, he is immediately labeled "pro-Russian". The reality is not like that. I am not interested in supporting Russia, but in a realistic approach and finally finding the path to peace. This is a war of attrition and is a growing danger, draining our economy and social systems. A balance must finally be achieved between military, economic and diplomatic means. So far, I do not see a good balance, Radev said.
At the heart of the current approach is to force Russia to engage in negotiations with the help of force. This is achieving peace through force. We see the result - hundreds of thousands more victims, a destroyed country. I am afraid of the latest Russian strategy, the front is frozen, Ukraine is experiencing a shortage of fighters. Last year, Ukraine survived by developing technologies to overcome the shortage of people. This is a huge success and it stopped the Russian advance on the front. Russia has superiority in long-range weapons, the Prime Minister noted.
In response to questions, he called for more effective diplomacy when the EU talks with the US. The Prime Minister added that the future of the Western Balkan countries, Ukraine and Moldova is in the EU.