Bulgaria’s Defence Minister: Zelenskyy asked for everything except aircraft
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy handed over a list of armaments and ammunition needed by the Ukrainian military during his visit to Bulgaria on July 6, Defence Minister Todor Tagarev said.
When asked at a special meeting of Parliament’s defence committee on the morning of July 7 if Zelenskyy asked for air defence systems, heavy armoured vehicles, and missile complexes, Tagarev answered: “Everything, except aircraft”.
Tagarev said calculations were currently being made as to how Kyiv’s request could be fulfilled.
“Ukraine has huge needs, the war is going on in full force at the front. This is one of the lists we have received. The question is what is within our capabilities, what we could give and under what conditions,” Tagarev said, according to a report by Bulgarian National Television.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, speaking on July 7, said: “Nothing will be handed over that would endanger our security”.
Denkov said that that the only possibilities that were discussed with the Ukrainian delegation yesterday in which Bulgaria would feel continuously protected.
When Bulgaria receives the F-16 fighters, it would also need another type of air defence, Denkov said, adding that this type of transition in armaments would take months and years, and Ukraine needs quick solutions now.
On the matter of seeking newer technologies from allied countries, he said that there were basically such opportunities: “I would say that Bulgaria missed some of them during the caretaker government”.
“What is most important to me is that the (Zelenskyy) visit showed everyone that the question of what it means to be a patriot should be asked,” the prime minister pointed out.
“Is a patriot the one who defends his homeland, who does everything possible to protect the borders, the people, or would a patriot be the one who says, ‘come, take territory and then you can continue’,” asked Denkov.
He said that he was not referring to President Roumen Radev’s words on July 6, but was saying this in principle and had been thinking about the matter for a long time.
(Photo of Tagarev: Ministry of Defence)
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