Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev Rejects Ukraine Military Coalition

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced on July 14, 2026, that Bulgaria will not join the coalition of the willing, a group of nations providing military and financial support to Ukraine. Speaking in Paris, Radev revealed he declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend a summit where leaders from over 30 countries agreed to a new aid package featuring Rafale fighter jets and air defense systems.

Radev argued that the conflict cannot be resolved through military means and requires a strong diplomatic mission. Since taking office in May, he has stopped providing free military assistance to Kyiv, although arms sales remain active. Radev also defended his attempt to nearly veto the European Union's 21st sanctions package against Russia to protect a specific individual critical to the operation of the Sofia Metro.

The opposition party Democratic Bulgaria responded with a joint declaration accusing Radev of serving the Kremlin's theses and isolating the country from European security architecture. The opposition criticized the Prime Minister for prioritizing diplomacy over force and alleged that he threatened to block EU sanctions to protect Kremlin-linked individuals, specifically mentioning Vagit Alekperov of Lukoil and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.