Bulgaria Latest NATO Member to Support Ukraine – Though Turkey is often cited as a NATO member that at times maintains ties that are a little closer to Russia than some of the alliance partners might desire, Bulgaria has been reluctant to show any significant support to Ukraine. The country remains historically and culturally close to Russia.
Since the fall of communism in 1989, Sofia’s stance on Russia has been affected by the political orientation of the party in power, with the left more supportive of close relations with Moscow than the right.
Since the start of the conflict, the Bulgarian government has been divided over the issue of sending aid to Ukraine.
With a change of government, there has been a change of heart in support for Kyiv, and on Friday, Bulgaria’s new largely pro-Western parliament voted to approve the sending of some 100 Soviet-era armored personnel carriers (APCs) – a move that has been seen as a significant turnaround in the NATO member’s policies.
Sofia’s Past Lack of Support
Direct arms supplies had been rejected by the previous interim governments that were appointed by President Rumen Radev, who has been sympathetic to Russia – going so far as to suggest during the NATO summit earlier this month that Kyiv was to be blamed for the conflict and that any supplies of arms would only prolong the war.
However, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov quickly countered Radev’s position and put the blame for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his administration.
Bulgaria – which is an EU as well as NATO member – has large quantities of Soviet-style weapons in its arsenal, while it also produces ordnance for those platforms. Ammunition and other ordnance have been provided to Ukraine via third-party intermediaries.
Arms For Ukraine – Low Mileage, Original Owners
The Bulgarian parliament late Friday approved by 148 votes to 52 the government’s proposal to make the first shipment of heavy military equipment to Ukraine since the beginning of the war. These include Soviet-made BTR APCs that were purchased in the 1980s, but reportedly never used.
“This equipment is no longer necessary for the needs of Bulgaria, and it can be of serious support to Ukraine in its battle to preserve the country’s independence and territorial integrity after the unjustified and unprovoked Russian aggression,” the Bulgarian parliament said in a statement to the media.
Those in favor of supplying the vehicles said it was more than just about helping Ukraine.
“We must give armored personnel carriers to Ukraine because Ukrainians are fighting not only for their freedom but also for ours,” liberal lawmaker Ivaylo Mirchev told the Associated Press.
However, the decision to send the APCs to aid Kyiv also sparked criticism from the Socialist Party and pro-Moscow nationalists from the Revival Party, who were among those who voted against it.
“I don’t think we can help Ukraine with military decisions and sending military equipment, but we can help it as a peace mediator, as a country that has specific relations with both sides,” said the deputy speaker of the National Assembly and of the Socialist Party, Kristian Vigenin, on Saturday.
Though Bulgaria has been divided over its support for Ukraine, the government in Sofia has supported Sweden’s bid to join NATO. Sofia’s ties to Moscow may be looser than ever.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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