Bulgaria and all NATO member states from the Black Sea region seek guarantees for their security only within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Every initiative which we will support can be realized only within NATO and we seek namely such solutions. This is what Head of State Rosen Plevneliev said at a joint news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko. 

 

In the Bulgarian President’s opinion, not only is the Ukrainian crisis a source of threats in the Black Sea region, but so are the frozen conflicts in Transnistria  and South Caucasus. “We should be aware of the extreme instability in the region and we should make responsible political decisions on how to guarantee our security,” the Head of State emphasized. The President made it clear that we can only speak about improving the coordination and conducting joint military exercises with the partners from the Alliance in the Black Sea region. “This is something we have done so far and we will continue to do. Our position and strategy ahead of the NATO summit in Warsaw is clear and open,” President Plevneliev said in response to a journalist’s question. 

 

The balance in the Black Sea region has been disrupted, and it depends on all of us to seek guarantees for our security, the Head of State highlighted. “The only solution is the collective solution. Not a single state can cope on its own. Bulgaria is a worthy EU and NATO member state and we are seeking our security within these two formats,” the President said.  

 

Bulgaria is looking forward to seeing what the forthcoming NATO decisions regarding the extra security guarantees for every single member state on the Eastern and Southeastern flank will be. The state and government leaders of the NATO member states are expected to approve the Comprehensive Package of Assistance for Ukraine at the NATO summit in Warsaw. 

 

Ukraine is interested in cooperating with countries such as Bulgaria and Romania in the security sector, President Petro Poroshenko said. “The cooperation with NATO trust funds, the modernization of the Ukrainian army, the mutual training of servicemen with states-partners is my priority as President of Ukraine. The excellent cooperation with Bulgaria is a guarantee for the success of these projects,” the Ukrainian president said.  

 

Asked what impact the Brexit referendum will have on the process of Ukraine’s EU integration, Presidents Rosen Plevneliev and Petro Poroshenko shared the opinion that the negotiations between the EU and the UK should be conducted in a correct and well-intentioned manner.

 

“The EU guarantees peace and sets the highest standards in many sectors, the EU makes us more competitive and a global factor. I will do my best to ensure that the EU makes progress,” President Rosen Plevneliev said. The Head of State voiced his conviction that the EU integration process will continue and will be strengthened, including by implementing new mechanisms and programmes for interaction with the partner-states. “The European Union should demonstrate strength namely by enlarging and by continuing to be attractive for the peoples who would like to be members of the European family and share its values. The EU should demonstrate its strength and this requires closer cooperation and integration with Ukraine. I will hail such an approach,” the Bulgarian President said.    

 

In President Petro Poroshenko’s opinion, the British referendum will make the EU more mobilized and stronger. “I believe that the EU will find a worthy response to the populists’ irresponsible theses. We would like to see a strong and united Europe, which will show solidarity with Ukraine. The Eurosceptic attitudes should be overcome because Europe can be strong only when it is united,” the Ukrainian President said.