RADEV: SOFIA WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE TO NEW AID FOR UKRAINE

SOFIA, OCTOBER 20 /SRNA/ – Bulgaria will not take part in any new financial assistance for Ukraine, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.

Radev reminded that the EU approved EUR 90 billion in aid for Ukraine last year, intended to cover this year and next.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested an additional EUR 70 billion from the EU for next year at a recent EU summit.

"Bulgaria cannot contribute to that EUR 70 billion in any way," Radev told reporters in the town of Tvarditsa, the Bulgarian News Agency /BTA/ reported.

The Bulgarian prime minister said the conflict in Ukraine was draining European economies and contributing to social tensions and political instability.

In his view, the conflict should be brought to an end as soon as possible.

"The outcome of the conflict will not be achieved by military means," Radev added.

Three EU member states, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, secured exemptions through negotiations from contributing to the loan, while Bulgaria took part.