PM Denkov and Ukranian President Zelenskyy discussed Bulgarian aid, cooperation in the area of defence and energy sector

On the day of the 10th anniversary of the annexation of the Crimean peninsula, February 26, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Nikolai Denkov, arrived in Kiev. He was the head of a large delegation, including three ministers, two deputy ministers and the chief of defence.

Prime Minister Denkov on a visit to Kiev (photos)

Russian aggression in Ukraine is a threat to Bulgaria's national security - with these words Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov addressed Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev. A train journey from the Polish-Ukrainian border, a visit to areas of Kiev destroyed by Russian missile strikes and key talks on military and humanitarian aid, joint production in the defence sector, energy, Bulgaria as a co-founder of an international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children deported to Russian territory and a bilateral security agreement - this was the focus of the meeting between Zelensky and Denkov.

Nikolai Denkov, met with Ukrainian President ,Volodymyr Zelensky, at the Mariinskyi Palace, his official residence. After one-to-one talks, it emerged that the two discussed the parameters of military and humanitarian aid, but no details were reported. They discussed cooperation and joint production in the defence sector and whether Bulgaria should sign a bilateral security agreement.

Ukrainian President Zelensky said Ukraine was interested in joint production with Bulgaria in the defence sector.

"Ukraine is very interested in joint production with Bulgaria and other countries that have a great potential in the defence sector. I think this will be a quality joint production that could create jobs and genefrate money. We are talking not only about wartime, but also about post-war period because the defence industries in both countries are interested," he said.

Russia's aggression is also a threat to Bulgaria's national security, Denkov stressed. Zelensky thanked Bulgaria for its efforts to secure free routes for Ukrainian goods through the Black Sea. The two also answered questions from BNT.

BNT: Mr Denkov, will Bulgaria sign a bilateral agreement?

Nikolai Denkov, Prime Minister: It is clear that it will also require a decision by the National Assembly, so there is no way for me to answer without having gone through the whole cycle of discussions. What I can say is that Bulgaria has not stopped helping Ukraine for a single day. It is still helping Ukraine. It will continue to help regardless of whether the agreement is signed or not. Both in the framework of NATO and the EU's joint efforts, and in terms of bilateral agreements, which we will sign anyway.Aid to Ukraine - I say this sincerely - is aid to Bulgaria, aid to Europe.

BNT: Mr Zelensky, how do you assess the situation on the front?

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine: We can talk about this for a very long time - it has to do with the questions of what is happening on the battlefield, in the economy, in society, whether our neighbours support us or not - there are many questions. But in the language of our military - when I ask them what is going on today on the battlefield - I will answer your question by using their words - the situation is complicated but fully under control.

As a gift from the Bulgarian delegation, PM Denkov presented Zelensky with a replica of Khan Kubrat's sword and reminded him of the testament to his sons that only united can be invincible.

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(According to a legend, towards the end of his life, around the year 665 BC, the Bulgarian ruler Khan Kubrat gathered his 5 sons around his dead bed. He was holding a bundle of sticks bound together. Khan Kubrat pulled one of the sticks out and easily crashed it in two. When he then tried to crash the entire bundle he failed. This was his legacy for his sons: that if they stay united, nothing can break them.)

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"Usually when they give us something, I say ‘thank you very, very much’, but can we still have air defence systems," the Ukrainian President said.

Prior to the meeting with Zelensky, the Bulgarian delegation visited the Solomyanskiy district in Kiev, where 30 blocks were destroyed in a Russian missile attack. The Prime Minister, together with his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Shmyhal, laid a wreath at the Memorial Wall at St. Michael's Square in Kiev.

Images by Council of Ministers

Bulgaria's PM Denkov met with Ukranian President Zelensky in Kiev