“We welcome President Radev’s clarifying statement today, in which he reaffirms Bulgaria’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. And it clearly states that Crimea belongs to Ukraine, “said US State Department spokesman Ned Price at a regular briefing.
“The United States, the G-7, the European Union, NATO – we clearly and unanimously take the position that, despite Russia’s attempt at annexation and the ongoing occupation, Crimea is Ukraine. “All of us, including Bulgaria, declared at a meeting of the Crimean Platform in August that Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine and we do not and will not recognize Russia’s efforts to legitimize the occupation of the peninsula,” Price said.
Earlier today, the US Embassy in Bulgaria issued a statement stating that the United States is deeply concerned about the statements of the President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, in which he defines Crimea as “Russian”.
Subsequently, the presidency circulated a position stating that “Rumen Radev has repeatedly stated that the annexation of Crimea is in violation of international law. This is a clear position of the Republic of Bulgaria in all international organizations. “
In connection with questions asked by the media related to interpretations of the words of President Rumen Radev from the pre-election debate on November 18, 2021 on his position on the issue of Crimea, the press office of the head of state informed:
“Head of State Rumen Radev has repeatedly stated that the annexation of Crimea is in violation of international law. This is a clear position of the Republic of Bulgaria in all international organizations. From a legal point of view, Crimea belongs to Ukraine and our country has repeatedly stated its support for At the same time, as President Rumen Radev emphasized in the election debate, Crimea is “currently” controlled by Russia and it is more than clear that this problem cannot be resolved by force. , the head of state expressed concern over this factual situation, which leads to tensions in international relations and especially in the Black Sea region, which has a direct bearing on the security of Bulgaria and its allies.
The President has repeatedly expressed fears of a possible escalation of tensions in the region, and in particular in eastern Ukraine, and called for adequate confidence- and dialogue-building measures to reduce confrontation and create the conditions for a peaceful solution. conflict “.
