---
title: "Bulgaria changes course: new cabinet plans to halt arms supplies to Ukraine"
description: "Bulgaria changes policy: new government plans to halt arms supplies to Ukraine. Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stated that Kyiv needs people, not equipment, and called for negotiations. This decision is supported by Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who opposes military support for Kyiv. 🇧🇬🚫🔫"
date: 2026-06-09T13:20:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/bulgaria-halts-arms-supplies-to-ukraine
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Bulgaria changes course: new cabinet plans to halt arms supplies to Ukraine

![Daniel Mitov, the new Bulgarian Defense Minister, at a press conference discussing the potential cessation of weapon supplies to Ukraine](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/09/bolgariya-prekratit-postavki-vooruzheniya-ukraine/bolgariya-prekratit-postavki-vooruzheniya-ukraine-1.webp)

A radical shift in foreign policy is taking place in Sofia. The newly appointed Bulgarian government intends to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine, shifting the focus from military support to diplomatic negotiations. This was stated by the country's Minister of Defence, Dimitar Stoyanov, whose words are cited by RBK-Ukraine referencing Bloomberg.

### Call for negotiations instead of weapons

The head of the defense department expressed the opinion that Ukraine currently critically lacks human resources rather than additional batches of equipment. "Ukraine needs more people, not more weapons," Stoyanov emphasized. In his statement, he also called for the achievement of a "just peace," which, in his view, should be formulated with the direct participation of both sides of the conflict.

Such rhetoric fully echoes the position of Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The politician, who took office last month, has repeatedly emphasized the impossibility of ending the war solely by military means. Radev has consistently opposed military support for Kyiv from the European Union and called for the lifting of economic sanctions against Russia, arguing that this causes serious damage to the European economy itself.

### Bulgaria and ammunition production

Sofia's decision to change course is of strategic importance for the front. Bulgaria is one of the largest producers of Soviet-style ammunition in the European Union. It was precisely these shells that played a critical role for the Ukrainian army in the first days of the full-scale war.

Although official Sofia initially refused direct military aid, Bulgarian ammunition steadily reached the front line through exports to other EU countries. Since 2022, Bulgaria has transferred 13 packages of defense assistance to Ukraine, however, their exact content and cost have traditionally been kept secret.

### Import dependence and new promises

A reduction in supplies from Bulgaria could exacerbate the situation with the shortage of components. Ukrainian defense enterprises, despite a gradual increase in the level of production localization, still depend on imported components.

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that there is a political agreement to purchase additional Patriot air defense systems. However, the implementation of this agreement is being delayed due to a number of financial, legal, and technical factors. Against this backdrop, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria promised to strengthen his country's role in making joint decisions within the EU, which could influence further coordination of the bloc's actions.