Bulgaria's premier warns Europe cannot defeat nuclear-armed Russia

By Seyma Erkul Dayanc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev called for stronger diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and warned that the risks of further escalation are increasing, Bulgarian Novinite media outlet reported on Friday.

“Do you know what our problem is? So far, Europe has been trying to achieve a conventional victory against the world's largest nuclear power,” Radev said at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat, Montenegro.

Radev said all countries should contribute to achieving peace and support initiatives aimed at ending the conflict.

He argued that Europe lacks the means to counter Russia's hypersonic weapons and warned that the current approach increases security risks.

“This increases the risk enormously. We are increasing the nuclear risk,” he said.

Radev added that any effort toward a negotiated settlement should be welcomed, regardless of where it originates, stressing that the priority should be finding a path to peace rather than prolonging the conflict.