We should be among the first ranks of those who will support the security and independence of Ukraine, as it has been so far.
This opinion was expressed to the Bulgarian National Radio by Boyko Noev, a former Minister of Defense and diplomat, adding that the question will soon arise whether Bulgaria is ready to participate in the efforts to guarantee peace in Ukraine, or we will once again stand on the sidelines and save ourselves the effort of leading this debate.
Noev specified that the US state administration has sent a questionnaire to EU countries about their readiness to participate in guaranteeing peace between Ukraine and Russia:
"I don't know if it has been discussed in Bulgaria, but it will be on the agenda both here and at the meeting of highest level in Paris. ... In the near future, Bulgaria will be faced with the question of whether we are ready to send troops to a peacekeeping operation in Ukraine. Bulgarian politicians will have to explain to Bulgarian society what they think on these issues. Important times are ahead for Bulgaria. And I fear that due to populism and other domestic political reasons, including political instability, many politicians will be tempted to pass, if possible, to let someone else do this job. We need a national debate and a national effort. The politicians we have elected must say what they think and educate people about the potential dangers and benefits that Bulgaria could have through its participation in a full-fledged European effort to guarantee peace in Ukraine".
"I agree with these words of President Rumen Radev that Europe must definitely have an important role, that Europe must emerge from lethargy. And it is already emerging from this comfortable state of protection that the US has provided it so far. Europe is in a position to participate in the negotiations, the question is whether it has the potential to be a factor in Ukraine. Yes, it has this potential, if it makes a decision, it can deal with this problem itself. The question is whether it has the political will", he emphasized.
Bulgaria has great geopolitical resources, which it is not using for now, unfortunately, Noev pointed out.
The system of agreements that needs to be achieved will take a long time, the diplomat emphasized and specified that quick results should not be expected.
According to Noev, the valuable thing about the Munich Security Conference is that "the positions of certain leading figures and political factors in the world at the moment are seen in a rather naked form":
"What we heard from both the US and Europe is not the final position on a given issue or predetermines development. ... Trump has been saying quite a few different things lately, and what he says doesn't necessarily reflect America's position, because he is supported, roughly speaking, by 50% of US citizens, the other half do not accept what he intends to do and is doing. This internal conflict in the US is about to develop."
I give Trump two more years of glory and in the midterm elections for the US Congress and Senate he will lose, Noev predicts and comments:
"There is no way this voluntarism in politics can continue. And those Bulgarian politicians who trust Trump and believe that he is a solution to their personal problems are buying a factory on September 8th.