BULGARIA’S PRESIDENT PLEVNELIEV AND 16 EUROPEAN POLITICAL LEADERS WROTE A LETTER TO DONALD TRUMP

Bulgaria’s President Rosen Plevneliev and 16 European political leaders have urged in an open letter to the US president-elect Donald Trump to strengthen transatlantic relations between Europe and the USA. This was announced by the press secretariat of the President on 11th of January.

The letter was signed by the current Bulgarian President, whose term of office ends on 22nd of January and former heads of state from across Central and Eastern Europe.

The letter have said that Russia’s continuing efforts to destabilize Ukraine, and its illegal annexation of Crimea, threaten the peace, predictability and security that Americans and Europeans created together aftwer the end of the Cold War. “We are concerned that the prospect of a new grand bargain with Russia will endanger this historic achievement,” the letter said.

“It would be a grave mistake to end the current sanctions on Russia or accept the division and subjugation of Ukraine. Doing so would demoralize those seeking a Euro-Atlantic orientation for that country. It would also destabilize our Eastern neighborhood economically and give heart to extremist, oligarchic and anti-Western elements there.”

“The wider damage would be grave too. The aftershocks of such a deal would shake American credibility with allies in Europe and elsewhere. The rules-based international order on which Western security has depended for decades would be weakened. The alliances that are the true source of American greatness would erode: countries that have expended blood, treasure and political capital in support of transatlantic security will wonder if America is now no longer a dependable friend.”

“When the United States stands strong, we are all stronger—together,“ the letter notes.

The European leaders wrote that they welcome Trump’s election and are eager to work with the new American administration to sustain the transatlantic alliance. They warn that if Trump decides to go the other way and join forces with Putin, there will be severe negative consequences for both Europe and the United States.

The letter was published in The Washington Post.