President Radev and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba discuss the construction of corridors for food transport from Ukraine and preventing a food crisis in Europe's neighbouring regions
Bulgaria will continue to provide support to Ukraine and its citizens in the ongoing war within its capabilities, is what President Rumen Radev told visiting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. The two discussed the situation in Ukraine within the context of the military conflict, the humanitarian support for Ukrainian citizens leaving the war zones, as well as avoiding a food crisis in the country and in Europe's neighbouring regions. The meeting was also attended by the President of the Association of Bulgarians in Ukraine and member of the Verkhovna Rada, Anton Kisse.
Once again we call for this senseless, fratricidal war between two brotherly Slavic nations to stop and for all of us within the EU to look for ways to rebuild Ukraine faster, the Bulgarian Head of State stressed.
The President recalled that in the very first hours of the war Bulgaria and the NATO and EU countries, at the highest political level, had condemned the aggression and hostilities launched by Russia against Ukraine. This is also the consistent position of the European Union and NATO in support of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, he added pointing out that this country was part of the sanctions regime imposed on Russia, despite the social and economic consequences. Radev recalled the declaration to the European Commission prepared by the majority of the presidents of the B-9 format, in which they urged for the accelerated integration of Ukraine into the EU.
The Head of State reiterated his call for a swift, effective and independent international investigation into the atrocities and massacre of civilians in Ukraine, as well as for the strictest punishment of all perpetrators. We are particularly concerned about the course of the ongoing hostilities and the threat to civilians. It is precisely in the zone of military operations that the numerous Bulgarian diaspora lives, Radev stressed. He expressed hope that the Ukrainian side was doing everything possible to minimise the risk to the lives of civilians and the Bulgarian national minority.
Bulgaria is ready to continue its programme for the treatment and recovery of Ukrainian servicemen, which started in 2014 and was interrupted due to the coronavirus crisis, the President said. Since the beginning of hostilities this country has received over 91 thousand people from Ukraine, and the humanitarian aid provided by Bulgaria through the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union and the Bulgarian Red Cross exceeds EUR 1.5 million. Our aim is to provide not only food and shelter, but also medical support, employment, kindergartens and education for the children so that they do not feel traumatised by the war, Rumen Radev said.
The sides were unanimous that the global community should take timely action to organise logistics corridors for the transport of food from Ukraine, which is one of the main European exporters of cereals, so that there is no food crisis in Europe's neighbouring regions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed his gratitude to the Bulgarian people and government for the assistance they were providing to Ukrainian citizens seeking refuge from the war. Dmytro Kuleba thanked for Bulgaria's clear position on Ukraine's European integration and pointed out that the country had already submitted answers to the European Commission's questionnaires.
In Kuleba's words, it is in the interest of Ukraine and Bulgaria that the Black Sea region should be a region of peace and prosperity and not of war. I believe that Ukrainians and Bulgarians have much more reason to consider themselves brotherly nations, especially after the sincere support you are giving us, he added. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister concluded that the Ukrainian people had a clear task to defend their land and the sanctions against Russia had to continue in order to stop the aggression against Ukraine.