Bulgaria's President Says Russia Is Waging War on Ukraine as Black Sea Attacks Escalate

President Iliana Yotova has called for an immediate halt to hostilities in the Black Sea and a moratorium on drone attacks against commercial and civilian infrastructure, as two ships were struck in the area, BNT reported.

Yotova thanked the rescue teams that worked throughout the night to save sailors from one of the vessels attacked in the Black Sea. The situation involving the second ship, which was hit while a Security Council meeting was underway, remained critical, with only five people rescued so far, she told BNT.

Bulgaria has coordinated its response with neighboring countries. A joint statement has been prepared with representatives of Romania and Turkey, while further talks with the Romanian president are planned. Internationally, Bulgaria has asked for the Black Sea to be treated as a separate priority at the highest European level, Yotova said.

“We are calling for an extraordinary agenda item at the upcoming summit in Brussels, which begins on Thursday, the 15th, focusing specifically on the Black Sea as a standalone issue rather than just within the general context of the war, and seeking a corresponding position and recommendations from the European Union,” Yotova said.

She added that Bulgaria would pursue consultations and opportunities for joint action with all countries bordering the Black Sea to improve navigational safety. Measures have also been initiated within NATO, including an extraordinary meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of permanent representatives in Brussels.

Coordination included an “urgent phone call” held that morning between Prime Minister Rumen Radev and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Bulgaria is seeking additional protection and surveillance capabilities that the Alliance can provide.

Yotova stressed the seriousness of the situation, saying that “the war has descended into the Black Sea and the conflict is deepening.” She warned that disruption to shipping routes threatened oil supplies and food supply chains serving Asia, Africa, and the wider world.

“This entire plan, this entire package of measures, aims to impose a moratorium on the use of drones in the Black Sea against commercial and civilian infrastructure, as well as to halt hostilities in the Black Sea,” Yotova said.

Asked about the origins of the conflict, Yotova stated that “the war is being waged by Russia against Ukraine.” She also criticized the European Union for failing to take diplomatic initiative or present a plan to end the war.

“Europe must not shy away from the peace process and negotiations. To achieve this, it must also put forward its own proposal on how to conclude the conflict, yet so far, we have no such text,” the president said.

Yotova described it as paradoxical that, despite the war being fought “in the heart of Europe,” negotiations are conducted mainly through formats involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine, while Brussels has yet to offer an independent vision.

Asked whether stopping military assistance to Kyiv would amount to capitulation, Yotova rejected that interpretation. “No, that is not what I am saying. It means that Ukraine should be supported by all means - financially, for instance... as well as on a humanitarian level. However, the more we invest in supplying weapons, the less likely it is that the war will end anytime soon,” she said.

She also questioned whether the conflict could be resolved through military means alone. “If the 'peace through strength' rhetoric was the right approach, let us now try to achieve peace through negotiations,” Yotova said. She argued that European partners should concentrate on political and diplomatic solutions without abandoning or excluding any channel.

Yotova also said she would refer the case to the Prosecutor's Office concerning the medical assessment that enabled the pardon of the man known as the “Petrich Escobar.” Regarding video footage apparently showing Ognyan Atanasov taking part in a beating at a hospital days before his pardon, she said an investigation should establish who recorded the incident, when it was filmed, and why the footage was not submitted to the Presidency.

Тwo ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea yesterday. The Chelsea 3, a Maltese-flagged general cargo ship operated by a Ukraine-based company, was attacked approximately 15 nautical miles off the coast near Byala in the Varna region.

The alert was received at 1:57 a.m. from the duty officer at Varna Traffic. Twelve crew members were injured and taken to the port of Varna with assistance from the Border Police vessel Burgas. Built in 2006, the ship was traveling from the Turkish port of Giresun to Giurgiulești.

The second vessel, the Alfa Watan, was sailing under the Togo flag toward the Romanian port of Sulina when it was attacked. The ship sustained critical structural damage and sank east of the Bulgarian coast. Initial reports indicate that the attack involved both aerial and maritime drones. The crew remains missing, and a large-scale search-and-rescue operation is underway.