Bulgaria condemns Putin's attempt to shift blame for Ukraine invasion

Euractiv reported the information.

In the propaganda film Russia. Kremlin. Putin. 25 Years, Vladimir Putin claims that Romania and Bulgaria contributed to the tensions that led to the war in Ukraine by hosting American bases on their territory.

“The Russian Federation’s attempts to shift responsibility for starting the illegal and unprovoked war in Ukraine onto other countries, including Bulgaria, are completely unacceptable and constitute a gross manipulation of the facts”, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The ministry stressed that the country’s accession to NATO was a sovereign decision reflecting the will of the Bulgarian people and legitimate democratic processes.

“This decision is dictated by Bulgaria’s aspiration for lasting security, stability and peace in a regional context. The strengthening of the deterrent potential of the member states is aimed at protecting the allied territory, is not a threat to any other country and is in full compliance with international law,” the authorities in Sofia mentioned.

The ministry also stated that Bulgaria remains firmly committed to its NATO obligations and to the principles of the European Union.

The main training base for Bulgarian and U.S. troops is Novo Selo. Under an agreement with Washington, no more than 2,500 U.S. military personnel and civilians may be stationed there. For years, the actual number has not even come close to that limit.

Romania, by contrast, is building a massive base, Mihail Kogălniceanu, near Bulgaria, which will be larger than Ramstein in Germany.

• On April 29, EU Council President Antonio Costa said during a visit to Sofia that Bulgaria has the potential to become a leader in producing and supplying weapons for Europe’s needs.
• On May 7, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that Romania and Bulgaria contributed to the tension that led to the war in Ukraine.