Bulgaria has reached the limit of the military assistance it can provide to Ukraine from its own armed forces without affecting national defense capabilities, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, as Bulgarian News Agency reported.
The decision follows 13 military aid packages approved since Russia’s full-scale invasion and reflects both the depletion of available military resources and ongoing fiscal constraints.
Radev stressed that the decision does not end Bulgaria’s overall support for Ukraine or the activities of its defense industry.
It applies to additional military aid, including the transfer of weapons, ammunition, military training, and participation in operations.
It does not affect military-technical support, such as equipment maintenance, repairs, spare parts, and military training, which will continue.
The announcement follows similar statements by Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov earlier this month.
Stoyanov argued that further arms deliveries were unlikely to change the course of the conflict, describing Ukraine’s primary challenge as a shortage of personnel rather than weapons and calling for greater emphasis on diplomacy.
Defense Acquisitions
While halting additional military aid to Kyiv, Sofia continues to advance a broader military modernization program and has pledged to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP in line with NATO objectives.
Recent procurement efforts include the planned acquisition of the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defence System through the US foreign military sales program to strengthen Black Sea coastal defenses.
The European nation is also reportedly considering purchasing more than 100 Greek-made Centauro counter-drone systems under the European Union’s Security Action for Europe defense financing initiative.
In addition, Teledyne FLIR Defense is supplying reconnaissance and surveillance suites for Bulgaria’s Stryker infantry carrier vehicles under a contract awarded by the US Army.
The systems combine electro-optical/infrared sensors, long-range radar, and command-and-control software to enhance target detection and battlefield awareness.
