John Kerry

Bulgaria, a country playing a "central role in Europe's emerging energy picture", is becoming "the latest wishbone in the struggle between Moscow's efforts to to assert its energy dominance over Europe and the West's efforts to cage that gassy bear," according to Foreign Policy.

A summit-level meeting of all EU energy ministers is to be held in Bulgaria in three weeks' time, the country's Deputy PM for EU Funds and Economic Policy Tomislav Donchev announced on Sunday.

Donchev told the Bulgarian National Television the event could produce decisions on the "new energy projects" to be carried out in the bloc.

Secretary of State John Kerry clasped French President Francois Hollande in a warm embrace Jan. 16 and said the US shared France's pain after its deadliest attack in half a century.
      
In an unusual move, Hollande trotted down the steps of the Elysee Palace to greet Kerry, who hugged the French president in front of a phalanx of photographers.
      

Reducing Bulgaria's dependence on Russian energy supplies and curbing corruption in the Balkan state were in the focus of Thursday's visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry in Sofia, the AP said.

The US is committed to Bulgaria's energy security and to curbing its energy dependence, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said while on a visit to Sofia.

Sofia and Washington are ready to place an emphasis on economic ties, energy security, rule of law and security in bilateral ties, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and US Secretary of State John Kerry have said in a statement.

Judicial reform was also among the topics discussed, with President Plevneliev pledging 2015 would bring about changes toward that goal.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is holding a meeting with Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov at the Council of Ministers building in Sofia, Bulgaria.

A joint press conference is expected at 14:00 EET (12:00 GMT).

Kerry, who is on a visit to Bulgaria on Thursday, is discussing energy, trade and security cooperation with officials from the country.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has got together with British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond while in Sofia, Kerry himself has tweeted.

Great that my friend @PHammondMP happened to be in #Sofia - caught up on a number of key issues over breakfast.

? John Kerry (@JohnKerry) January 15, 2015

"What is US Secretary of State John Kerry doing in Bulgaria?," a number of media outlets, both in Bulgaria, the region and the West, seem to be wondering, against the backdrop of a few important diplomatic visits this month.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif held intensive talks on Tehran's disputed nuclear programme on Jan. 14, returning for an evening session before handing off to their deputies, officials said.