Defence Minister meets ambassadors of Ukraine and Poland

Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov Tuesday held separate meetings with Ambassadors Vitaliy Moskalenko of Ukraine and Maciej Szymanski of Poland.

Both meetings were attended by Deputy Defence Ministers Teodora Genchovska and Katerina Gramatikova and Vladko Vladov, Head of the Political Cabinet.

Stoyanov and Ukrainian Ambassador Vitaliy Moskalenko discussed the provision of humanitarian and military-technical assistance to Ukraine. The Defence Ministry is donating 350 medical kits for 35,000 Ukrainian servicepersons and a procedure for donating winter outfits to the Ukrainian army is under way, Stoyanov said.

The diplomat thanked Stoyanov for providing accommodation to Ukrainian citizens at some of the Defence Ministry's holiday facilities. Currently there are 214 Ukrainians - 161 adults and 53 children under 13 - at two holiday facilities of the Military Clubs and Military Recreation Executive Agency, the Defence Minister said.

Also on the agenda was Bulgaria's contribution to the NATO Trust Fund for medical rehabilitation of Ukrainian servicepersons. The sides discussed a possible continuation of Bulgaria's involvement in the rehabilitation of Ukrainian servicemen and women through the NATO Trust Fund.

The meeting was attended by Brigadier General Radostin Iliev, Director of the Defence Policy and Planning Directorate.

Dimitar Stoyanov and Polish Ambassador Maciej Szymanski discussed aspects of defence cooperation, including the possible provision by Poland of engines for the MiG-29 aircraft of the Bulgarian Air Force. Stoyanov said the Defence Ministry's leadership prioritizes securing the airspace protection mission over Bulgaria.

Polish Defence Attache Colonel Piotr Grela attended the meeting.