Bulgaria's PM Radev meets NATO secretary general Mark Rutte in Brussels

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rumen Radev is on an official visit to Brussels where he has held a meeting NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte. Bulgaria makes a very important contribution to NATO’s security, said Radev after the meeting. 

PM Radev visits Brussels for talks with NATO and EU leaders

Radev noted that the country has achieved the goal of defense investment equal to 2% of GDP and is steadily moving toward an increase to 5%, BTA reports.

Bulgaria is an important ally and helps defend NATO’s eastern flank, noted Mark Rutte. The Black Sea and Bulgaria play a key role for the alliance; the country hosts forward-deployed forces, which I visited some time ago and was very impressed by, Rutte added.

The Bulgarian prime minister pointed out that NATO’s task is to defend every inch of the alliance’s territory. In such challenging times, NATO must ensure strong defense investments, have a clear vision and an applicable strategy, and a realistic approach to the challenges, he added.

We must achieve a very balanced mix of capabilities to strengthen national defense capacities and contribute to NATO’s collective capabilities, said the Bulgarian prime minister. He added that Bulgaria has secured significant investments for the modernization of the Bulgarian armed forces, including through national funds.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov