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Why did Bulgaria stop supplying weapons to Ukraine?

2026-06-15 15:11:07Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Bulgaria’s new government, led by Prime Minister Rumen Radev and his Progressive Bulgaria party, has decided to halt all state arms supplies from its stockpiles to Ukraine. The move comes after Radev won an absolute majority in April’s elections, where he campaigned on a pragmatic platform on foreign policy and a focus on domestic priorities.

The announcement made by Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov has created uncertainty and strong political debate, as it comes just a few months after the previous interim government signed a security cooperation agreement with Kiev.

During a parliamentary hearing, Minister Stoyanov stated that this decision is primarily technical and strategic for the country's security, arguing that Bulgaria simply "has no more weapons to give" because its military reserves have fallen below the minimum required legal level.

However, the timing of the announcement raised doubts, as the minister himself admitted that Kiev had not submitted any new requests for state weapons since the beginning of May, when the new government took office. His stance was also defended by Prime Minister Radev, who has been consistently critical of long-term European-funded military aid, calling it a  “doomed cause . ”

"We have given enough, while our country continues to suffer socio-economic damage from this bloody war ," declared Rumen Radev.

The paradox of the ban, private commercial exports continue

Experts note that this decision has more of a symbolic and political effect than a practical one on the ground. The new ban only affects direct supplies from the official reserves of the state army, but it:

It does not prevent the Bulgarian private defense industry from continuing arms exports.

It allows the sale of ammunition and weapons through commercial intermediaries (such as Poland and the Czech Republic), which then end up in Ukraine.

This scheme is not new to Bulgaria. Even as early as 2022, officials were publicly declaring that  “not a single bullet”  was being sent to Ukraine, while private defense factories were operating at full capacity for the Ukrainian market. This business has had a massive economic impact, accounting for over 4% of Bulgaria’s GDP in 2024.

Loss of opportunity for modernization according to NATO standards

Former senior Bulgarian officials and diplomats have sharply criticized Radev's decision, arguing that it undermines the military's finances and the modernization process. During previous mandates, Bulgaria sent old Soviet weapons (such as BTR-60PB armored personnel carriers or parts for S-300 systems) and received financial refunds or modern Western equipment in return.

According to the Ministry of Defense, Bulgaria received more than 3 million euros in 2025 and 2026 through the European Peace Fund (EPF) alone, as well as over 200 million euros from trilateral agreements. Former Defense Minister Todor Tagarev believes that by banning the export of obsolete Soviet equipment, Bulgaria is missing a golden opportunity to renew its arsenal.

Former Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynski also expressed herself along the same lines:

“Military assistance to Ukraine does not reduce the capabilities of the Bulgarian army, on the contrary, it increases them. The message being sent to our partners is: ‘You cannot rely on us.’ And this war will end and participation in the reconstruction of Ukraine will be possible only for countries that are trusted.”

Essentially, analysts believe the government's move is aimed at appeasing domestic public opinion and the Russophile electorate. According to the latest Eurobarometer data, 66% of Bulgarian citizens are against financing arms purchases for Ukraine, a figure much higher than the European Union average of 39%.

For this reason, the government's harsh statements are seen as a political maneuver for domestic use, maintaining balance with the electorate that does not want to damage relations with Russia, while the private arms industry continues to benefit financially from indirect sales.


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