Andrey Gyurov and Volodymyr Zelenskyy Signed a 10-Year Security Agreement between Bulgaria and Ukraine in Kyiv

Bulgaria and Ukraine on March 30 signed a 10-year security agreement, which also prvides for joint production in the defence sector.

The agreement was concluded during the visit of caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov to Kyiv, where he is leading a delegation of five ministers.

The halted sale of reactors from the Belene Nuclear Power Plant was also discussed during the talks.

The agreement, which has been negotiated over a long period, provides opportunities rather than obligations, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov said after signing the document.

It envisages joint production of drones, drawing on Ukraine’s experience in this field, against the backdrop of repeated incursions by Russian drones into European airspace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “I believe our experience is invaluable. We see aggression around the world—I am returning from a visit to the Middle East, where they are also facing significant aggression, primarily involving drones—Shahed drones—the same ones Russia is using against us.”

The agreement covers not only defence, but broader security across multiple sectors, and also opens opportunities for Bulgaria to participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction. Similar arrangements have been under discussion since 2023, when several European and NATO countries signed comparable agreements at the Vilnius summit.

Andrey Gyurov said: “The signing of such an agreement does not require parliamentary approval, as it is a political act. It demonstrates our country’s readiness to work together with our partners in Ukraine to strengthen the defence capabilities of both countries.”

The talks also addressed the reactors from the Belene Nuclear Power Plant, which Ukraine needs for the completion of the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant. For Kyiv, these reactors represent the most cost-effective option to replace capacity lost from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, currently under Russian control.

Andrey Gyurov: “We are discussing the possibility of transferring these reactors to Ukraine. However, this requires parliamentary approval. Whether this happens within the current Parliament or the next one is a matter of timing.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy added: “For us, the Bulgarian reactors based on Russian technology are the most cost-effective option. We are ready to cooperate with Bulgaria in nuclear energy and for export across the region, including Moldova and other European countries. These two reactors can help Ukraine, Bulgaria, and the people.”

Andrey Gyurov also met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, who said she counts on Bulgaria’s support in the dispute with Hungary and Slovakia over halted Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline.

In Kyiv, Andrey Gyurov Held Talks with Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yuliia Svyrydenko

Yuliia Svyrydenko: “Bulgaria, which has gone through a difficult path to full membership in the European Union, continues to support Ukraine’s accession to the Union. Despite the ‘destructive’ position of Hungary, we hope that a solution will be found to unblock the negotiation process and to advance the implementation of further sanctions.”

At the meeting, a protocol was also signed to strengthen funding for the Bulgarian high school “Hristo Botev” in the Odesa region—one of the cultural centres of the Bulgarian community in Ukraine.

Andrey Gyurov and the Bulgarian delegation also visited one of the buildings in Kyiv that was struck by a Russian missile.

“At 5 a.m., an air-raid alert was activated; people went in bomb shelters, and at the very moment they came out, a missile struck. Lives were lost, including those of children and young people. The date was 31 July last year.”

As with every other leader who has visited Kyiv, Gyurov also laid flowers at the Wall in memory of those who have fallen defending Ukraine.