Bulgaria exits Coalition of the Willing, rejects Ukraine military aid

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced on July 14 that Bulgaria is withdrawing from the Coalition of the Willing, a grouping of roughly 30 countries led jointly by France and Britain that provides military and financial support to Ukraine. Speaking in Paris ahead of France's National Day military parade, Radev stated that despite receiving a personal invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron, Bulgaria has decided not to participate in the coalition's efforts to sustain military and financial assistance to Ukraine.

Radev emphasized that Bulgaria believes the Russia-Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved through military means and must instead be addressed through diplomatic channels. "We do not provide such aid because I believe the solution to this conflict does not lie in prolonging it through military means, but in a strong diplomatic effort that will finally put an end to the escalation," he said. The decision represents a reversal from Bulgaria's previous government, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, which joined the coalition in 2025 and participated in its meetings.

The announcement came as the Coalition of the Willing held meetings in Paris on July 14. Following those discussions, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Moldova and North Macedonia would be joining the coalition, bringing its membership to 36 countries. Bulgaria's withdrawal aligns it with other NATO members that have resisted contributing to Ukraine's military support, including Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, which have all declined or questioned their participation in funding Ukraine's defense.