The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, announced the intention to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, fulfilling NATO commitments.

The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, stated that the country intends to increase its defense spending to 5% of the gross domestic product, in accordance with commitments made to NATO. Although he did not specify a timeline for achieving this goal, Radev mentioned that Bulgaria has already reached the 2% threshold and is determined to take the next step. The statements were made during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels. Radev emphasized the importance of increasing the defense budget in the context of current challenges, including the conflict in Ukraine. He also expressed concerns regarding Europe's ambitions to achieve a conventional victory over Russia without having the capacity to counter modern threats. Radev is set to meet with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to discuss the European defense strategy.