Press conference

Prime Minister Denkov, Nikolai,
Welcome to the NATO Headquarters, 
And congratulations on your appointment as Prime Minister.

We face the most challenging security environment in decades. And Bulgaria is on the front line of some of the gravest challenges we face. 
Your country plays an important role in our collective response. 

Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Bulgaria has participated actively in NATO’s deterrence and defence in the Black Sea region. You host one of NATO’s multinational battlegroups, led by Italy. And your naval forces help to secure the Black Sea, as part of NATO patrols.

In the Western Balkans, Bulgarian troops play a key role in our KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo,
Which is even more important at times of high tension. Your forces also contribute to building more sustainable and effective forces in Iraq, as part of NATO’s mission there. 

All of these contributions to the Alliance are valued and appreciated. To keep Bulgaria safe, NATO continues to provide strong deterrence and defence in your region. On land, at sea, and in the air. NATO will continue to support and defend Bulgaria. 

Strengthening our deterrence and defence will be a key topic for the Vilnius Summit in July. And we just had a good discussion on our final preparations.

At the Summit, we will decide on new regional plans. With forces, exercises and capabilities assigned to them. And we will have more troops on higher readiness, backed by substantial air and maritime capabilities. We have also agreed a new rotational model for air and missile defence. So that we can move quickly from air policing to air defence, if needed.

All of this sends a clear message: NATO is ready to defend every inch of Allied territory. 

At the NATO Summit in Vilnius, we will also step up our support for Ukraine. With a multi-year package of assistance, upgraded political ties and by reaffirming that Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO.

I thank Bulgaria for providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
This helps the Ukrainians to uphold their right to self-defence, as enshrined in the UN Charter.

To continue strengthening NATO and the support for Ukraine, we need to invest more in our security. 
And I count on Bulgaria to commit to the more ambitious defence investment pledge that we will agree at the Summit. 

So, Prime Minister, thank you again for coming here and for Bulgaria’s many contributions to our collective defence and shared security. 

So, please – you have the floor.

Deputy NATO Spokesperson, Dylan White:
Thank you. We'll go to questions. I will start with the Bulgarian National Television.

Desislava Apostolova, Bulgarian National Television:
Mr. Secretary General, do you see a need to increase the NATO forces in Bulgaria? And what would you say to the Bulgarian citizens who may be afraid of what has happened in Russia recently? Thank you. [Question to Bulgarian Prime Minister].

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: 
The mutiny of the Wagner forces at the weekend, they are a reminder of the cracks and increased tensions that the war against Ukraine has created within Russia. At the same time, we need to remember these are internal Russian matters. That is not for NATO to have anything to… any role to play in those events. What matters for us is that we continue to support Ukraine because Russia has attacked a sovereign, independent nation in Europe. Ukraine has the right to defend itself, as a right enshrined in the UN Charter. NATO Allies, including Bulgaria continue to provide support to Ukraine.
We have already increased our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. We have actually doubled the number of battle groups and increased the size of them, including our presence in Bulgaria has been increased because we were well prepared when Russia attacked Ukraine in February, last year. This is part of a pattern, the war didn't start in February last year, it started actually in 2014, and since then, NATO has implemented the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence, including with more forces in eastern part of the Alliance. So we will continue to assess the need and at the Vilnius Summit we will also agree new defence plans, new force structure with even more forces at high readiness to be able to quickly reinforce whenever and where needed.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov:
Okay, so I’ll translate the questions in English. There were two. The first one was: whether the risk was higher after the last events in [what] we saw in Russia, and the second one was: when we will reach this 2%, like a benchmark of the military expenses. So, the answers are the following. So first, the risk became very clear when Russia invaded Ukraine because it was obvious, for the first time after the Second World War in Europe, someone is ready to break the borders and the last events didn't change much. I mean, we are still in this risk and the best way to reduce this risk is actually to help Ukraine because the victory of Ukraine, victory in the sense that they recovered their territory, is the best way to protect the other countries, including Bulgaria, after this invasion.
Concerning the expenses for defence, this year will be slightly below 1.9. For the next year, we have planned already 2%, and it is in the projection for the budget for next year. And for 2025, we have well above 2% planned because we have some planned investments in the military improvement, in the technical groups that have to be… That are planned and have to be paid that year. So it will be a little bit “going up and down” but definitely we have the commitment to go above 2% as it was decided recently.

Deputy NATO Spokesperson, Dylan White:
Thank you very much. We will have time for one more. Wall Street Journal, please.

Dan Michaels, Wall Street Journal:
Thank you, Dan Michaels with the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Secretary General, following up on what you said about the Vilnius Summit and Ukraine, and the commitment to Ukraine. I know Allies are still discussing this in some areas, such as the wording of what kind of pledge will go beyond the Bucharest wording. There is still great differences on this. So can you say anything about where those talks stand and are you confident there will be agreement? And separately, there was another Quran burning in Sweden yesterday. Are you concerned that that will make it complicated or even impossible for Sweden to become a full member by Vilnius? Thank you very much.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: 
So first, on the last question, on the burning of the Quran. I understand the emotion and the depth of feeling this causes and actions taken that are offensive and objectionable are not necessarily illegal in sovereign legal systems. We have also seen protests against both Türkiye and NATO over the last weeks in Sweden. I do not like them, but I defend the right to disagree. This is part of freedom of expression. What is important for me is that we have to make progress on finalising the accession of Sweden into the Alliance. I spoke with President Erdoğan recently and we agreed to convene a high level meeting of officials here in Brussels, Thursday, next week. It will be the Foreign Ministers, the National Security Advisors and the Chiefs of Intelligence, and they will sit down and address outstanding issues to find a way forward and my message continues to be that Sweden has delivered on all its obligations, including the obligations that Sweden, Türkiye and Finland agreed on at the NATO Summit in Madrid, last year.

Then the other question was on… wording, yes. Well, as always, when we are going to make important decisions at summits in NATO, there is a process, there are consultations. This is the way NATO makes decisions. I am confident that we will find a united way forward and find also a united way to address Ukraine's membership aspirations. I think we have to remember that all Allies agree that NATO’s door is open, that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance, and that it is for the NATO Allies and Ukraine to decide when Ukraine should become a member and Russia doesn't have a veto on NATO enlargement. The most urgent task is to ensure that Ukraine gets enough donations, military support, so President Putin doesn't win and Ukraine prevails as a sovereign and independent nation because without that there is no membership issue to be discussed at all. We will help Ukraine, support Ukraine in moving forward and come closer to NATO, partly by expanding our practical cooperation, help them to be fully interoperable with NATO with this multi-year program for transition from Soviet era to NATO standards, procedures and equipment, and also by strengthening the political ties. We are looking into a way to establish a NATO-Ukraine Council. So, I am absolutely confident that when NATO leaders meet in Vilnius we will send a strong message of support to Ukraine.

Deputy NATO Spokesperson, Dylan White:
That concludes this press point, thank you very much.