Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev used his first official visit to Paris as head of government to call for a fundamental shift in how Europe approaches the war in Ukraine, saying the continent had been too slow to take the lead on negotiations with Moscow and warning that the current trajectory risked nuclear escalation.
Speaking to journalists ahead of his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace, Radev was direct. "I would be glad to see Europe finally agreeing to start negotiations with Russia. Not only to start - Europe should have been the leader in these negotiations, not allowing them to be seized as an initiative by other, third players."
He went further, expressing concern about what he called Europe's pursuit of a conventional military victory over Russia. "What worries me personally is Europe's aspiration to achieve a conventional victory over the largest nuclear power without having the ability to intercept and counter modern hypersonic weapons. We must realize that what has been happening in recent days and the desire to have peace through force at all costs can lead to nuclear escalation. We are already very close to this."
On Bulgaria's own commitment to Ukraine, Radev acknowledged that Sofia had provided political, humanitarian, diplomatic and military support since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, but signaled that future allocations would be weighed against domestic priorities. "Bulgaria is interested in our government first ensuring the standard of living and security of Bulgarian citizens. Only then can we think about allocating additional funds on this topic," he said.
