Ukraine is interested in joint arms production with the Republic of Bulgaria. President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during a briefing with Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov in Kyiv.
The Head of the Ukrainian state informed Denkov about the current situation on the front line, the main needs of Ukrainian soldiers, priorities, next steps, and the country's capabilities.
"Ukraine appreciates every security and political step for our defense. Specifically, I want to thank Bulgaria for supporting our efforts in the Black Sea to expand trade flows and restore normal navigation. It is extremely important that even in such a difficult time, despite all the challenges, we manage to maintain normal economic relations. We have agreed with Bulgaria to develop logistics and infrastructure in our region. Our mutual respect for the principle of good neighborliness will add economic growth to our countries," he emphasized.
The parties also discussed cooperation in energy, which is crucial in defense production. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is interested in joint arms production with Bulgaria.
"Ukraine is very interested in joint production with Bulgaria. With other countries as well, but primarily with those that have great potential in the defense sector. In my opinion, this will be a qualitative cooperation, as Bulgaria will be able to get both jobs and money into its economy. And for Ukraine, I believe, we will meet those deficit needs we have today," clarified the President of Ukraine.
He noted that this is not only about cooperation during wartime but also in the post-war period.
Moreover, Zelensky stated that Ukraine's unchanged priorities include the most pragmatic interaction with Bulgaria in political matters and in issues of justice.
"We appreciate Bulgaria's support in the absolutely fair pressure on Russia, including sanctions work for the sake of confiscating the assets of the terrorist state. Today, we focused on Russia's responsibility for military terror. It is important that Bulgaria is already helping to establish the truth about Russian war criminals and is ready to join efforts to hold the Russian Federation accountable for the basic crime - the crime of aggression, which spawned all other Russian crimes. We also appreciate Bulgaria's support for our movement towards the European and Euro-Atlantic community. This strengthens our common security," emphasized the President of Ukraine.
Zelensky also mentioned that he discussed with the Bulgarian Prime Minister the implementation of the Ukrainian peace formula.
"This year, we are organizing the first Global Peace Summit. I will be grateful for Bulgaria's active role in this event and the Prime Minister's support for our proposals," concluded the head of the Ukrainian state.