Bulgarian Armed Forces

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Bulgaria on December 19, where he expressed gratitude for the country's significant role in NATO's shared security efforts. During his visit, Rutte met with key Bulgarian officials, including Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Foreign Minister Ivan Kondov, and Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is currently in Bulgaria, visiting the Novo Selo training ground to observe the activities of the Multinational Battle Group, hosted by Bulgaria with Italy as the framework nation.

During a ceremony at the Presidency, President Rumen Radev, who also serves as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, emphasized the importance of modernizing Bulgaria's military to keep pace with the evolving security challenges.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will visit Bulgaria on December 19, 2024, as announced by the Ministry of Defense. During his visit, he will inspect the Novo Selo training ground and meet with the political and military leadership of the Ministry of Defense.

Bulgaria has decided to provide additional military aid to Ukraine, as confirmed by the latest meeting of the caretaker government led by Dimitar Glavchev. While the decision was published on the Council of Ministers' website, the government has not made an official announcement regarding the new aid, and the list of specific weapons being sent remains classified.

Acting Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov has expressed support for the US President Donald Trump's goal of increasing defense spending for NATO member states to 2.4% of GDP, emphasizing that this target is both necessary and realistic.

At the Novo Selo training ground today, Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov affirmed that the recent command and staff exercise showcased the NATO Multinational Battlegroup's preparedness to scale up to brigade level if required for Bulgaria's defense.

The process of upgrading the Bulgarian Army's air defense systems has officially commenced. On October 7, an additional agreement was signed between the Ministry of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany and Diehl Defense, the manufacturer of the IRIS-T SLM systems, regarding the provision of an air defense complex for the Bulgarian Air Force.

Atanas Ilkov, Bulgaria's Acting Minister of Internal Affairs, announced that there are currently no indications from Bulgarian or partner agencies of terrorist threats or a deterioration in the security environment due to the tensions in the Middle East.

Bulgarian military personnel and colleagues paid their final respects to Lieutenant Colonel Petko Dimitrov and Captain Vencislav Dunkin, who lost their lives in the line of duty on September 13. The farewell ceremony took place at the 12th air base in Dolna Mitropolia, where the two pilots were honored with full military rites.