Bulgaria Hosts Second Black Sea Security Conference of Crimean Platform, Attended by Delegations from 42 Countries
In order to develop effective strategies to respond to the existing challenges and ensure sustainable development for all peace-loving states in the region, Ukraine and Bulgaria are jointly holding the Second Black Sea Security Conference in Sofia on 15 April.
Delegations from 42 states and 8 international organisations are taking part in the conference.
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Stefan Dimitrov noted that Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a direct attack on the principles and standards for which the international community is fighting.
According to Stefan Dimitrov, Bulgaria continues to support Ukraine in ensuring sustainable peace, including a summit to be held in Switzerland this summer to consider President Zelenskyy's peace plan, which is based on the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter.
In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reminded that the Russian Federation has been undermining security, freedom of navigation and the environment in the Black Sea region for more than 10 years.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, only the defeat of Russia and the full restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity will bring stability, security and the prospect of strong economic development to the Black Sea region.
He also stressed that Ukraine can achieve this result with sufficient support.
"I take this opportunity to once again call on all our partners to take extraordinary and bold steps. This war cannot and should not be normalised. Ukrainian air defence is now not only protecting Ukrainian skies from Russian terror, it is also protecting neighbouring Moldova, Romania and Poland from the threat of missiles and drones invading their airspace. And also other Black Sea and European countries from the possibility of Russian aggression spreading to their territories," Kuleba said.
He stressed that Russia chooses only aggression, terror and blackmail instead of cooperation. And today there is no other language that Moscow understands better than the language of force.
The conference is co-organised by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence of Ukraine and Bulgaria in partnership with the Centre for Defence Strategies of Ukraine.
