Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev will particpate in NATO Summit in Brussels

President Rumen Radev is leading the Bulgarian delegation to participate in the Meeting of Heads of State and Government of NATO member states, which will take place in Brussels today, June 14.

"Today's summit is of particular importance to the Alliance, even the Secretary General of NATO describes it as a turning point for our alliance, for our collective security,“ President Rumen Radev said before the meeting.

The forthcoming NATO Strategy Paper 2030 sets a high level of ambition for NATO's development over the next decade. We are about to discuss, at a high level, the adaptation of the Alliance in the increasingly challenging security environment, the strategic priorities of the Alliance and the ways to achieve them. A key factor for the security of all countries in the alliance is our unity not only in our common political will in the development of adequate defence capabilities and achieving compatibility for conducting joint operations, but unity in our industrial development, in the development of our defence industries and leading technologies as well," said Rumen Radev.

At the NATO summit in 2019, I raised the issue of the growing division that separates us as countries, the president recalled.

"Producers that develop their economies and social systems by manufacturing defence products and exporting them, and customers that, by purchasing these products, invest in the economic systems of developed countries and thus lag even further behind in their socio-economic development.

I also pointed out ways to bridge this gap between member states by strengthening industrial cooperation and technology exchange in any major military deal, the president added.

He shared with satisfaction that in NATO 2030 we already see initial projects leading in this direction.

I am extremely pleased that the projects we will be discussing today are a pledge to maintain the alliance's technological advantage. Moreover, they are of great importance for the development of Bulgaria's defence industry, our scientific potential, private initiative and startup ecosystems in Bulgaria," said President Radev.