Bulgaria to the rescue: How the EU’s poorest country secretly saved Ukraine

[basquebromance]

Moscow knew Bulgaria was the EU country most dependent on Russian gas before the war and decided to make an example of it.

Bulgaria to the rescue: How the EU’s poorest country secretly saved Ukraine

Sofia provided fuel and vital Soviet specification arms to Kyiv, but had to keep supplies secret because of pro-Moscow politicians in government.

www.politico.eu

 

[odanny]

That's a great story, and it shows how good can triumph over evil. Thank you Mr. Petkov.


As early as April 27, Gazprom chose Bulgaria as the first EU country where it would sever gas exports. But Sofia did not relent. Within 24 hours, Prime Minister Petkov presented a solution that would allow Bulgaria’s nearly 7 million inhabitants to get by without gas from Russia. He organized two tankers of liquefied natural gas from the United States — at the same price per cubic meter as Gazprom was charging.

Petkov now explains why the U.S. was willing to go along with this.

“I made it clear in the talks that the tankers are a political signal to all of Europe that there are always ways out of dependence on Russia.” He also had a pipeline connection to Greece completed to catalyze alternatives to Russian supply lines.

Petkov’s government was toppled in a parliamentary vote of no confidence over the summer. Pro-Russian forces also played their part in that. By the fall, Petkov and Vassilev were only in office on a provisional basis. Since then, the country has been caught in political deadlock, but the attitude toward Ukraine has changed somewhat.

In December, parliament decided to officially allow arms deliveries to Ukraine. “We are deeply grateful to Bulgaria for that,” Kuleba said. However, he noted he was already seeing attempts to torpedo that decision. “It is unbelievable how persistently these forces are trying to pull Bulgaria to the side of the aggressor and butcher.”

Petkov and Vassilev have already made history with their unprecedented covert help. With their party “We Continue the Change,” they want to run again in the next elections and continue their fight for a Bulgaria that tackles the corruption of the old order and embraces a more westward path.

 

[Litwin]

Bulgaria

fought 2 WW against Moscow . Bulgarian elites HATE Muscovy , ordinary people have pan- Slavic sympathies , but we all know know Muscovites are not Slav people

 

[Litwin]

Moscow knew Bulgaria was the EU country most dependent on Russian gas before the war and decided to make an example of it.

That's a great story, and it shows how good can triumph over evil. Thank you Mr. Petkov.


As early as April 27, Gazprom chose Bulgaria as the first EU country where it would sever gas exports. But Sofia did not relent. Within 24 hours, Prime Minister Petkov presented a solution that would allow Bulgaria’s nearly 7 million inhabitants to get by without gas from Russia. He organized two tankers of liquefied natural gas from the United States — at the same price per cubic meter as Gazprom was charging.

Petkov now explains why the U.S. was willing to go along with this.

“I made it clear in the talks that the tankers are a political signal to all of Europe that there are always ways out of dependence on Russia.” He also had a pipeline connection to Greece completed to catalyze alternatives to Russian supply lines.

Petkov’s government was toppled in a parliamentary vote of no confidence over the summer. Pro-Russian forces also played their part in that. By the fall, Petkov and Vassilev were only in office on a provisional basis. Since then, the country has been caught in political deadlock, but the attitude toward Ukraine has changed somewhat.

In December, parliament decided to officially allow arms deliveries to Ukraine. “We are deeply grateful to Bulgaria for that,” Kuleba said. However, he noted he was already seeing attempts to torpedo that decision. “It is unbelievable how persistently these forces are trying to pull Bulgaria to the side of the aggressor and butcher.”

Petkov and Vassilev have already made history with their unprecedented covert help. With their party “We Continue the Change,” they want to run again in the next elections and continue their fight for a Bulgaria that tackles the corruption of the old order and embraces a more westward path.

Petkov’s officials avoided government-to-government transactions and used intermediary companies in Bulgaria and abroad to open up supply routes by air and land through Romania, Hungary, and Poland.


“We estimate that about a third of the ammunition needed by the Ukrainian army in the early phase of the war came from Bulgaria,” Petkov told WELT.

and

Moscow KNEW....

Data Shows Alleged Russian Agents In Bulgaria Around Time Of Arms-Depot Blasts

Czech officials blame a secretive Russian military intelligence unit for a 2014 explosion at an ammunition depot. Members of that same unit were traveling in Bulgaria around the same time that six explosions hit Bulgarian weapons factories in 2014 and 2015.

www.rferl.org

 

[Litwin]

 

[Ringo]

Dostoevsky was so real for this... It's from his "Writer's Diary":