'Petkov insists one thing is irreversible: “We have shown that a world is possible without dependence and fear of Russia.”''On February 25, just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, at an informal European Council meeting in Brussels, Petkov stressed to his fellow leaders that Zelenskyy may have less than 48 hours to live, that he was on Moscow’s death list, and that the Council must take tough decisions on sanctions immediately. The European Commission ultimately supported those moves.
At the same time, Finance Minister Vassilev attended a meeting of EU finance ministers in Paris. There, too, there was indecision, as he described it. Everyone was still in shock over the attack. Then Vassilev gave a speech. Not about numbers and economic consequences, but about what Putin meant by “de-Nazification of Ukraine.” He drew on Bulgaria’s own experiences.
“That’s what the Russians did in Bulgaria after World War II, they murdered thousands of dissenters, professors and priests,” Vassilev said. He, too, called for immediate resolutions and participants in the meeting confirmed to WELT that the Bulgarian minister had turned the mood of the assembled delegates.
Two days later, Brussels implemented those measures. In EU circles, they were styled as the “Bulgarian proposal.”
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As early as April 27, Gazprom chose Bulgaria as the first EU country where it would sever gas exports. But Sofia did not relent. Within 24 hours, Prime Minister Petkov presented a solution that would allow Bulgaria’s nearly 7 million inhabitants to get by without gas from Russia. He organized two tankers of liquefied natural gas from the United States — at the same price per cubic meter as Gazprom was charging.
Petkov now explains why the U.S. was willing to go along with this.
“I made it clear in the talks that the tankers are a political signal to all of Europe that there are always ways out of dependence on Russia.” He also had a pipeline connection to Greece completed to catalyze alternatives to Russian supply lines.
Petkov’s government was toppled in a parliamentary vote of no confidence over the summer. Pro-Russian forces also played their part in that. By the fall, Petkov and Vassilev were only in office on a provisional basis. Since then, the country has been caught in political deadlock, but the attitude toward Ukraine has changed somewhat.
In December, parliament decided to officially allow arms deliveries to Ukraine. “We are deeply grateful to Bulgaria for that,” Kuleba said. However, he noted he was already seeing attempts to torpedo that decision. “It is unbelievable how persistently these forces are trying to pull Bulgaria to the side of the aggressor and butcher.”
Petkov and Vassilev have already made history with their unprecedented covert help. With their party “We Continue the Change,” they want to run again in the next elections and continue their fight for a Bulgaria that tackles the corruption of the old order and embraces a more westward path.
Petkov insists one thing is irreversible: “We have shown that a world is possible without dependence and fear of Russia.”'
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Bulgaria to the rescue: How the EU’s poorest country secretly saved Ukraine, January 19, 2023
Context(Help Ukraine take back its territory) - '..There are an estimated 2,000 German-made Leopard tanks .. across Europe..''Even the Pope .. compared the war in Ukraine to the Nazi genocide of the Jews.'