President Rumen Radev held a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United States, as well as the security challenges stemming from Russian Federation's war against Ukraine, were the focus of the talk. The two discussed the need to support Ukraine in the difficult circumstances of the targeted destruction of its energy and civil infrastructure, from which millions of innocent civilians are suffering.
Energy diversification and timely measures to secure alternative supplies of crude oil for the Burgas refinery, following the expiry of the exemption for the import of Russian oil, was also a focus of the talks. Radev highlighted the possibility of building an oil pipeline from Alexandroupolis to Burgas, so as to avoid the closure of a key enterprise for the Bulgarian economy, a rise in unemployment, a deficit in fuel supplies and fuel price hikes.
Ensuring reliable economic, transport and energy connectivity in Southeast Europe in the conditions of a nearby military conflict is key to building reliable supply chains in the region and dealing with the negative consequences of the crisis, the head of State further stressed. He expressed this country's expectation to join Schengen in 2023, for which it has already received support from the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council.
The two also discussed the partnership between Bulgaria and the United States in the security and defence sector. President Radev repeated his call for seeking a solution for Bulgaria to lease fighter jets until the Bulgarian F-16 squadron is formed. Bulgaria relies on the support of its allies, but it insists on preserving and developing its national capabilities to protect its own airspace, President Rumen Radev further stressed.