site.btaBulgaria to Develop New National Defence Plan Following NATO Summit in The Hague, PM Zhelyazkov Says

Bulgaria will develop a new National Defence Plan after the NATO Summit in The Hague, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said during his meeting with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who is on an official visit to Bulgaria, the Council of Ministers said in a press release on Wednesday.

The two sides discussed the actions of NATO member states following the summit, including plans to increase defence spending in line with the new spending commitment of 5% of GDP — 3.5% for defence and 1.5% for defence-related investments.

“In the context of lasting instability caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine, Bulgaria continues to support the strengthening of NATO's deterrence and defence capabilities, especially on the Alliance’s Eastern Flank and in the Black Sea region,” Zhelyazkov emphasized.

He added that Bulgaria actively participates in initiatives such as the Multinational Battlegroup with Italy as framework nation, the Special Operations Regional Component Command Headquarters with Romania, and the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea Task Group (MCM Black Sea) with Romania and Turkiye.

Zhelyazkov reaffirmed that Bulgaria will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary and opposes any territorial concessions that would legitimize Russian aggression.

The meeting also covered the role of joint European defence initiatives, including opportunities presented by the recently published European Defence Readiness White Paper 2030 (Re-Arm Europe/Readiness 2030) and the new European SAFE instrument. Zhelyazkov voiced support for enhanced coordination between NATO and the EU and highlighted the importance of industrial cooperation with the US, the UK, Canada, and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

In the context of disinformation and hybrid threats, PM Zhelyazkov stressed that Bulgaria is exposed to aggressive propaganda narratives from Russia, aimed at undermining public trust and allied solidarity. Therefore, he called for a strengthened NATO-wide response to manipulations in the information space.