Bulgaria stops funding new lethal weapons for Ukraine through EU mechanism
Bulgaria's government has decided to stop financing purchases of new lethal weapons for Ukraine through the European Peace Facility (EPF), adopting a position of "constructive abstention," Novinite reported on October 21, citing the government's press office.
The government said Bulgaria would continue funding non-lethal assistance and seek to prioritize Ukrainian regions with ethnic Bulgarian communities.
"Bulgaria will finance only non-lethal aid for Ukraine; furthermore, it will insist that Bulgarian funding be directed, as a priority, toward regions with an ethnic Bulgarian population," the Council of Ministers said.
Ukraine's largest ethnic Bulgarian communities are concentrated in southern Odesa Oblast, particularly around Bolhrad, as well as in parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Bulgaria's annual contribution to the EPF exceeds €9 million, although no specific portion had been allocated to purchasing weapons for Ukraine. Earlier this year, the previous Bulgarian government approved more than €6 million in assistance through the mechanism.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev's government said the decision reflected its desire to end hostilities in the Black Sea region while continuing to support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The government has also previously halted donations of weapons from Bulgarian military stockpiles.
The European Peace Facility is an EU financing mechanism used to support security and defense assistance, including military aid to Ukraine.
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