Yotova calls for active diplomacy to end the war in Ukraine

President Iliyana Yotova called on Bulgaria to take an active diplomatic role in efforts to end the war in Ukraine and to guarantee security in the Black Sea. Speaking after the meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security (CCNS), she said there was broad agreement among the participants on a document containing recommendations to the executive and legislative branches, as well as proposals for action within the European Union, NATO and the United Nations. However, the final text did not receive the support of four participants.

According to Yotova, the main disagreement concerned the approach to ending the military actions in Ukraine. She said she supports doing everything possible to establish a “coalition for peace” as soon as possible, including a European proposal in which Bulgaria would actively participate. In her view, the aim should be to develop a peace proposal for Ukraine and bring the fighting to an end with the participation of all sides.

Bulgaria calls for Black sea ceasefire after drone attacks on commercial ships

The president warned that the absence of a diplomatic solution could lead to further escalation, affecting not only the Black Sea region but European security as a whole. She also pointed to the rising costs of weapons, the economic consequences of the conflict and the continued loss of human lives. Iotova said that political and diplomatic channels should be used to bring the parties to the negotiating table, stressing that such a process would take time but needed to begin.

Yotova also outlined three areas where she said there was agreement. The first was to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to begin negotiations to end the war. The second was to hold urgent consultations with Turkey and Romania to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, including in areas connected to the three countries’ exclusive economic zones.

The third proposal was to begin talks among all six Black Sea countries on a possible moratorium on the use of drones in the maritime region. According to Iotova, such an initiative could help reduce the risks to civilian shipping and critical infrastructure. She also rejected attempts to turn the issue of maritime security into part of the election campaign, arguing that the subject discussed at the CCNS concerned the risks and threats to Bulgaria’s maritime security and critical infrastructure.