Within the framework of the extraordinary European Council meeting in Brussels, the EU countries HoSG held working sessions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Radev took part in the joint working session together with Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
The ongoing hostilities between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, Ukraine's winter energy challenges, the hampered supply chains, the humanitarian consequences of the war, as well as Ukraine's European integration ambitions were the focus of the meeting.
The Bulgarian head of State underlined the consistent humanitarian support Bulgaria was providing to Ukraine, including to the substantial Bulgarian diaspora in that country, as well as to the tens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens who had sought refuge from the conflict in this country. Bulgaria's energy policy creates conditions for real diversification in the supply of energy resources for the whole region, which can also benefit Ukraine. President Radev stressed again that nuclear energy was of strategic importance for the future of Bulgaria's energy and economy and Bulgaria could not accept the imposition of sanctions in this area.