Lloyd Austin promises Stryker company to strengthen NATO in Bulgaria

Sofia, 19 Mar US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised this Saturday in Sofia to send a Stryker mechanized infantry company to Bulgaria, a country that has reiterated its refusal to deliver weapons to Ukraine, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov reported. The US Armoured Vehicle Company Stryker will target the multinational combat group of up to a thousand troops being deployed by Bulgaria to strengthen security on NATO's eastern flank following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Thus, “The United States was the first to respond to our requests to NATO allies to strengthen this combat group,” Petkov said at a press conference after meeting with Austin. Washington's promise “is a strong signal to all allies and I hope that other countries will also contribute elements to this group”, which will be under the command of the supreme command of the Atlantic Alliance in Europe and will be led by a high Bulgarian military officer, he added. On the other hand, both politicians stressed at the joint press conference that, contrary to what has been speculated in some media, today's meeting did not address the possibility of the Bulgarian Government changing its position and agreeing to send weapons to Ukraine. Petkov called recent reports published in the international press as “fake news”, according to which Austin was going to ask Sofia to hand over S-300 air defense missiles to Kiev with which he had since Soviet times. “We have in no way discussed Bulgaria sending military aid to Ukraine,” Petkov said. “With Bulgaria so close to the conflict, a shipment of military aid will not be possible,” explained the head of government. In addition to the country's fear of involvement in the conflict, a potential dispatch would require parliamentary approval. Especially Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, with sympathies towards Moscow, and the historically close to the Kremlin Bulgarian Socialist Party, one of the four coalition partners in power led by Petkov, are opposed to militarily assisting Ukraine. “Our talks focused on what we can do to strengthen NATO's eastern flank and increase operational compatibility,” Austin said. After thanking Bulgaria for the solidarity with which it has received more than 80,000 refugees who arrived fleeing Russian attacks in Ukraine, the US envoy stressed that Russian aggression in that country represents the greatest security challenge “in several generations.” CHIEF vp-wr/amg