During his official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev.
The Head of State thanked Bulgaria for the invitation, as well as for political support and practical assistance to Ukraine and hospitable treatment of our citizens who took refuge in this country to flee Russian aggression.
"I am extremely grateful that the Bulgarian people have sheltered a large number of Ukrainians. I think people in Bulgaria clearly understand that this is not a 'conflict' but a war. Because when there is a conflict, millions of people do not leave the country to save the lives of their children. The war is on our territory, on our land, so we clearly know that this is not a conflict, but a war," he said.
The President of Ukraine emphasized that it is important to set the right accents and call a spade a spade.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the signing of a number of important bilateral documents today, including the Joint Declaration on Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic Integration and the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the Energy Sector.
The two leaders also paid attention to the issue of protecting common freedom.
The President of Ukraine expressed gratitude to Bulgaria for the principled support of our country's movement towards NATO membership.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also informed his counterpart about Ukraine's progress on the path to European integration, including the implementation of seven recommendations of the European Commission.
The parties discussed the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula. Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed Bulgaria's readiness to join its implementation, particularly in ensuring food security. He expressed hope that the Bulgarian leadership would participate in the Global Peace Summit.
The President also noted the importance of the appointment of the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Ukraine.
The parties paid special attention to cooperation in the Black Sea region.
The Head of State emphasized the importance of preventing Russia from committing an act of terrorism at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which could lead to catastrophic consequences for the continent.
"The occupation of a nuclear power plant is also not a conflict, it is an open war," Volodymyr Zelenskyy summarized.
