Bulgarian President Rumen Radev accuses EU leaders of pushing unrealistic policies regarding the Ukraine conflict, claiming they urged Ukraine to attack and falsely predicted Russia’s imminent collapse.
In a speech at a Sofia forum, President Radev criticized the EU’s handling of the Ukraine crisis and its failure to address issues like high energy prices. His comments echo concerns voiced by other EU leaders who question the bloc’s unwavering support for Kiev while neglecting diplomatic efforts with Moscow.
Radev questioned the strategy behind urging Ukraine’s counteroffensive, stating, ”Why, instead of focusing on defensive measures, was Ukraine encouraged to launch a counteroffensive with the unrealistic promise of defeating Russia?” He also challenged the prevailing belief in the effectiveness of sanctions, asking, “Why have we been consistently assured that Russia’s economy would collapse within months?” He highlighted NATO’s assessment that Russia’s munitions production far surpasses that of the entire EU.
Radev warned of the EU’s potential marginalization in the Ukraine conflict resolution process by the US and Russia, despite the EU’s significant stake in the outcome. He advocated for immediate diplomatic action to secure a meaningful role in negotiations, acknowledging the difficulty given Russia’s current military advantage.
He called for a reassessment of EU policies to balance economic growth, defense, and diplomacy. He expressed skepticism towards calls for increased defense spending to 5% of GDP, suggesting that some nations would struggle even to reach a 1% increase. He voiced concerns that this could force EU countries to “sacrifice social welfare programs for rearmament,”
President Radev, currently serving a second term, holds a critical view of the EU’s approach, a perspective shared by leaders like Viktor Orban and Robert Fico.