Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has called on European countries to begin direct dialogue with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, warning that European leaders must take into account the risk of nuclear escalation.
Speaking in Brussels at the Defence and Space Summit organised by news network Euronews, Radev stated that starting talks with Moscow and working toward peace must be Europe's primary priority. He explained that providing military support to Ukraine will not be enough to end the conflict, pointing to Ukraine's inability to defend its territory against ongoing Russian attacks.
Radev stressed that European nations must understand there is a limit to simply delivering weapons and offering support. He insisted that the ultimate consolidation of peace will be achieved through diplomacy rather than continued arms shipments. Following his victory in parliamentary elections in April, Radev ended Bulgaria's military aid to Ukraine. Bulgaria, located in southeastern Europe, is a member of both the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Limits of military support and nuclear danger
Addressing conference delegates in Brussels, the Belgian capital that hosts the headquarters of both the EU and NATO, Radev highlighted the nuclear danger facing the continent. He claimed that no one in Europe wants to acknowledge the nuclear risk, warning against ignoring it. He questioned how far Western powers can exercise pressure on Russia without Moscow reacting in another manner, adding that whenever Russia feels weak, it begins playing the nuclear card again.
Radev's comments came one day after Moscow issued a warning to NATO regarding regional security. Russian officials stated that Moscow is prepared to deploy the full extent of its arsenal to defend its territory if NATO countries attempt to isolate the Kaliningrad region from the rest of Russia.
NATO condemns Russian threats over Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a strategically vital Russian exclave situated on the Baltic Sea coast, separated from the Russian mainland and bordered by NATO members Poland and Lithuania. Because overland access to Kaliningrad relies on transit through neighboring countries, security around the enclave remains a major point of tension between Russia and Western allies.
In response to Moscow's warning, NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said yesterday that the military alliance condemned Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. Hart noted that the nuclear threat was set out in an official document delivered by Moscow to alliance officials, in which Russian authorities denounced alleged provocations against the Kaliningrad territory.
