SOFIA — Bulgaria intends to honour its NATO commitments by raising defence spending toward 5% of gross domestic product, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Thursday, while declining to set a firm timetable for reaching the target.
Radev, who stepped down as president to run in April’s parliamentary elections and won decisively, told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels that Bulgaria has already met the 2% benchmark and is “determined to take the next step by gradually increasing our budget to 5% to meet our defence commitment,” Bulgarian National Radio reported. Rutte said on social media that boosting defence spending and production is a top priority ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.
The prime minister did not give details on when the 5% goal would be achieved. Radev, who made some pro‑Russian statements during the campaign but has since stated his willingness to pursue a European course — is scheduled to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later on Thursday.
EU foreign ministers are meeting informally in Cyprus to coordinate policy as Kyiv presses for greater European assistance in the more‑than‑four‑year war with Russia, at a moment when Washington’s attention is focused on its conflict with Iran. Speaking in Paris before a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Radev said he supports Europe taking the lead in peace talks between Ukraine and Russia but warned that the continent must also invest in defence capabilities.
“What personally concerns me is Europe’s ambition to achieve a conventional victory over the largest nuclear power without having the capability to intercept and counter modern hypersonic weapons,” he said, describing the gap as a “serious risk” that requires a comprehensive rethink of European policy on the conflict.