Von der Leyen Hails Bulgaria’s Defence Industry in Support of Kyiv

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has praised Bulgaria’s role in supporting Ukraine’s war effort, saying the country has provided roughly one-third of the weapons delivered to Kyiv from within the EU since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

The Gaze reports this, referring to BGNES.

Speaking during a visit to the Vazov Machine-Building Plant in Sopot, von der Leyen described Bulgaria’s defense industry as “a source of national and European pride,” highlighting its production of large volumes of ammunition and explosives crucial to Ukraine’s battlefield resilience.

“Bulgaria has exceptionally strong traditions in the defense industry… Here you are producing large quantities of ammunition and explosives that support Ukraine and its fight for freedom. Since the beginning of the war, one-third of the weapons used by Ukraine have come from Bulgaria,” she stated.

The Commission chief added that as Ukraine’s military capabilities strengthen, the EU must also assume greater responsibility for its own security. 

“To raise our level of preparedness, we need to move forward collectively at the European level, above all through financial support,” she noted.

Her stop in Bulgaria followed a visit to Poland, with trips to seven EU countries planned in total. 

The tour focuses on member states along the Union’s external borders with Russia and Belarus, where von der Leyen said she aimed to show “full EU solidarity” and outline progress in developing Europe’s defense industry through initiatives such as the SAFE program.

As The Gaze previously reported, EU member states have submitted applications for SAFE loans for defense production totaling €150 billion, which is the entire amount provided for by the program.