Full political hysteria has gripped Bulgarian politicians after the US announced that it will not hinder and is not against the EU organizing a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, once a peace agreement is reached - whatever it may look like. US representatives met in Saudi Arabia with a delegation from Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron convened two meetings in Paris to discuss the EU's position in response to the US actions.
The topic, of course, was immediately taken up by politicians in our country that “not a single Bulgarian soldier will die in Ukraine” and Bulgaria will not send its contingent as part of the possible EU forces.
President Rumen Radev preemptively declared himself "categorically against" sending Bulgarian soldiers to Ukraine "in any form". And a little later, political leaders, including Boyko Borisov and Delyan Peevski, also joined the topic. The head of state's words came in connection with the letter that the US sent to all European countries about POSSIBLE participation in peacekeeping forces to guarantee security in Ukraine.
"If you remember, the big question that I raised at the beginning of the war in Ukraine was to prevent Bulgaria from being involved in it. Today, against the backdrop of the collapsing global security architecture, this question is even more relevant. I expect the government and the National Assembly to state a clear and unambiguous position that our country will not send troops," commented the head of state.
The leader of "DPS-New Beginning" Delyan Peevski expressed "his full support for the position of the Bulgarian President" that Bulgaria should not send soldiers to Ukraine in any form. According to him, no other support for Ukraine, other than the one already given, can be on the agenda.
The Chairman of GERB Boyko Borisov expressed a similar position and hinted that he was the first to stand against the sending of Bulgarian soldiers to Ukraine - back in June 2024. "I am glad that President Radev took the same position today. A Bulgarian soldier will not go to Ukraine. Bulgarian soldiers will not die for foreign soil“, Borisov announced.
BSP leader Atanas Zafirov was unable to explain what provoked the president's words about sending soldiers to Ukraine. "There is no such hypothesis and there is no such discussion in the Council of Ministers. I don't see what has changed to comment on such possibilities", he told the media.
The co-chairman of the PP-DB Parliamentary Group Nikolay Denkov also confirmed that "never in any way" the sending of soldiers to Ukraine was discussed.
All this comes on the agenda after the US posed six questions to European countries:
1. Outline how you see lasting guarantees from Europe that would serve as a sufficient deterrent against Russia while ensuring that this conflict ends with a lasting peace settlement?
2. Which European and/or third countries do you think could or would participate in such an agreement? Are there any countries that you believe are indispensable? Is your country willing to deploy its troops in Ukraine as part of a peace agreement?
3. If third-country military forces were to be deployed in Ukraine as part of a peace agreement, what do you think would be the necessary size of such a European-led force? How and where would these forces be deployed, and for how long?
4. What actions should the United States, allies, and partners be prepared to take if Russia attacks these forces?
5. What, if any, requirements for U.S. support would your government consider necessary for its participation in these security arrangements? Specifically, what short-term and long-term resources do you think the United States will need?
6. What additional capabilities, equipment, and support options is your government prepared to provide to Ukraine to improve its negotiating position and increase pressure on Russia? What else is your government prepared to do to increase its sanctions against Russia, including stricter enforcement of sanctions?
But have any of our politicians ever heard the word “peacekeeping“ mission?
That's the question. The reaction - no, was quick and categorical. "No" to what? "No" why? After the democratic changes, the Bulgarian army participated in dozens of PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS. How is the one that MAY be organized in Ukraine different!? How is the death of our soldiers in Karbala - the deadliest attack for the Bulgarian Army, because a total of 13 soldiers died there (for the entire period of the mission) as part of the Multinational Forces in Iraq (22.08.2003 - 20.12.2008), namely Major Georgi Hristov Kachorin, Senior Lieutenant Nikolay Angelov Sar'ev, Officer Candidate Marin Milev Milev, Officer Candidate Tsvetan Stoyanov Kamov, Officer Candidate Paun Stoyanov Georgiev, Officer Candidate Ivan Hristov Indjov, Officer Candidate Anton Valentinov Petrov, Officer Candidate Svilen Simeonov Kirov, Officer Candidate Dimitar Ivanov Dimitrov, Officer Candidate Vladimir Nedelev Pashov, Officer Candidate Gardi Hristov Gardev, Officer Candidate Preslav Yordanov Stoyanov and Officer Candidate Valentin Nikolaev Donev, is MORE DIFFERENT. They did not die on foreign territory, for a foreign country, for a foreign people...
The Missions of the Bulgarian Army
UN Peacekeeping Operation in Cambodia
The mission of the Bulgarian Army in Cambodia lasted from May 4, 1992 to November 27, 1993, with about 1,300 people participating in our two contingents - one infantry battalion of 850 people, 10 officers, 34 military observers and a military police team of 11 people. The struggle to maintain peace in Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge's attempt to seize power was fierce, and the Bulgarian military suffered 10 casualties.
Stabilization Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The NATO operation to maintain peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and observe the Dayton Agreement began in 1996. Under NATO, from June 1997 to November 2001, Bulgaria participated with a contingent of a total of 1,819 soldiers, of whom 180 officers, 324 sergeants and 1,315 soldiers.
International Security Forces in Kosovo
The participation of the Bulgarian army in this NATO operation was accompanied by the complex political situation in the Balkans after the collapse of Yugoslavia, the bombing of Belgrade and the separation of the countries of the former SFRY into independent states. The contingent from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria joined KFOR on February 9, 2000. Initially, an engineering and construction platoon of about 40 people was sent. In 2006, it was transformed into an engineering platoon, and a group for the preparation of the Kosovo Security Force was also included in it. After the transformation, the number of people fluctuated around 48 people.
International Stabilization Forces in Afghanistan
The UN mission in Afghanistan is a peacekeeping operation, i.e. it has a strictly military nature. The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1386 of December 20, 2001, which launched the operation. Bulgarian participation began with the designation of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria of a unit to go to Afghanistan. On February 16, 2002, the first 32 Bulgarian servicemen left for the Middle Eastern country. The main task of the Bulgarian soldiers is to guard the area of the Kabul airport. By 2014, 27 Bulgarian military contingents had participated, with a total number of 9,184 people.
Multinational forces in Iraq (Iraqi freedom)
Bulgarian military personnel participated in this operation from August 22, 2003 to December 20, 2008. By a decision of the 39th National Assembly of May 29, 2003, Bulgaria's participation in the operation was authorized. Initially, our mission in Iraq was supposed to end by 2005, but due to the complicated situation, our state leadership decided to extend the period of stay of our military in Iraq. Bulgaria participated with a total of 11 contingents with a total number of 3,367 people for the entire 5-year period. In a horrific attack on the Bulgarian military base in Karbala on December 27, 2003, a truck bomb exploded and killed 5 Bulgarian soldiers, bringing the total number of Bulgarians killed in the five years to 13.
The Bulgarian Army also participated in a number of other missions such as those in Croatia (OSCE mission), Libya (Unified Protector), EUFOR (Chad and the Central African Republic), Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Republic of Macedonia (Concordia and Camp Radusha), Tajikistan (UNMOT), Angola (UNAVEM III and MONUA), the EU Operation in the coastal waters of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden (EU NAVFOR ATALANTA), Georgia (EUMM), Mali (EUTM Mali), Somalia and the Horn of Africa (Ocean Shield). (ed. – reference taken from bulgarianhistory.org)
How is this possible mission in Ukraine different from all these missions…