Bulgaria opposes new Russia sanctions, Germany pledges weapons

Bulgaria intends to veto an upcoming European Union sanctions package targeting Russia, citing potential negative economic consequences for the nation. Prime Minister Rumen Radev indicated that the proposed measures could significantly impact Bulgarian industries, specifically highlighting the Russian oil company Lukoil, which manages the country's sole oil refinery.

The Bulgarian announcement was made prior to an EU summit in Brussels, where the bloc was expected to finalize the expanded sanctions. The EU had recently proposed adding 34 individuals and 47 organizations to its sanctions list, linking them to Russia's military-industrial complex, its shadow fleet of oil tankers, and those involved in political interference activities.

In parallel developments, Germany pledged an additional 400 million euros in military support for Ukraine. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius detailed that 200 million euros of this funding would be used to acquire specialized guided missiles for the Patriot air defense system. This commitment reinforces Germany's ongoing military assistance to Ukraine.

Further cooperation on defense projects was also established between Germany and Ukraine. An agreement was signed to facilitate the development of a new air defense system designed to counter ballistic missiles. The two nations also agreed to jointly produce unmanned ground vehicles, such as the Termit model, which will be manufactured in Germany before being supplied to the Ukrainian army.