Bulgaria's President Radev: Diplomacy is the alternative to war

Addressing a conference entitled "Wars and Peace: Will Time of Diplomacy Come?", held in Sofia on november 20, President Rumen Radev said that a peaceful solution must be sought through diplomatic and political means to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Quoting Western politicians and military analysts, the Head of State pointed out that both sides in the conflict had made strategic mistakes. According to him, the right time for negotiations and seeking the rational formula for peace was before Ukraine's counter-offensive. The President said he had shared this with his counterpart Zelensky. He pointed out that the cost so far is about 100,000 Ukrainian casualties. Radev said it is difficult to resolve the conflict diplomatically at the moment because Russia is feeling a military upsurge and is rejecting the possibility of negotiations.

"We need to find such a bargaining chip that guarantees the security of both sides. We need to look for the answer for the foundations of a new security architecture, both European and global. We should accept that the time has indeed come to seek peace through diplomatic and political means. By no means does this mean retreat before the aggressor," the head of state said.