Prime Minister Rumen Radev
French newspaper Le Monde has published an analysis examining what it describes as Prime Minister Rumen Radev's increasingly ambiguous approach to foreign policy, particularly regarding Russia's war against Ukraine. According to the newspaper, European institutions are closely following Sofia's diplomatic course, although the publication says there is no widespread concern in Brussels at this stage.
Citing its own sources, Le Monde writes that "Radev is under surveillance by Brussels, but no one is really worried." The analysis argues that the Bulgarian prime minister often sends conflicting signals, with rhetoric that tends to be more favorable toward Russia, particularly when addressing the segment of Bulgarian society the newspaper describes as holding pro-Russian views. At the same time, the authors contend that Radev recognizes Bulgaria's strong dependence on the European Union and is therefore unlikely to pursue a fundamental break with Brussels.
Published under the headline "Bulgaria's Increasingly Ambiguous Diplomacy Toward Ukraine," the article notes that Radev announced on July 14 that Bulgaria would leave the Coalition of the Willing, despite continuing to support European assistance measures for Kyiv. The newspaper presents this as an example of what it sees as contradictory messaging from the Bulgarian government.
