site.btaUPDATED Bulgarian Defence Minister Meets Ukrainian Counterpart in Odesa, Vows Continued All-round Support for Ukraine

Bulgaria will continue to provide all-round assistance to Ukraine, Defence Minister Todor Tagarev said during a visit to Odesa, the press centre of the Ministry of Defence said Tuesday. Tagarev said that Bulgaria could start handing over armoured combat equipment to Ukraine as early as this autumn. 

According to Tagarev, the package will include around 100 Soviet-style armoured personal carriers, which are still in the Bulgarian Interior Ministry's warehouses.

He added that Bulgaria supports Ukraine in its quest for NATO accession under the fast-track procedure. In his words, as soon as the war is over, Ukraine should have a very clear and quick perspective to join the alliance.

"Our country stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian efforts, both on a bilateral basis by providing political, humanitarian and military-technical support, and within the framework of its membership in NATO, the EU and the UN. In this regard, the decision taken to move from a two-stage to a one-stage process of Ukraine's accession to NATO confirms that Ukraine's place is in the Euro-Atlantic family," Tagarev said at a press conference after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov.

Tagarev said that Russian provocations in the Black Sea are impeding free navigation, increasing the risk of accidents and of escalating tensions.

"In these conditions, close coordination of efforts with our Black Sea allies Romania and Turkey is aimed at strengthening our surveillance and situational awareness," he added.

The Bulgarian minister was adamant that Bulgaria supports legitimate actions to protect Ukraine from Russian military actions and restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Reznikov noted that he and Tagarev had discussed the current situation, including in the Azov-Black Sea region, as well as future cooperation in a number of areas. Ukraine's Defence Minister thanked Bulgaria for the assistance provided and expressed concern over Russia's actions in the Black Sea, stressing the strategic importance of the grain deal, as the world's food crisis is also a security crisis.