Key facts
- Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev supports a US-Russia diesel deal.
- Radev criticized Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
- EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas disagreed with Radev's position.
- Bulgaria's new government has a peace agenda regarding the Ukraine conflict.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has broken ranks with European consensus by expressing support for a US-Russia diesel agreement and criticizing Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. Attending a summit in Brussels, Radev stated that reducing fuel prices is essential for European competitiveness. He also voiced opposition to strikes on any energy power plants, drawing parallels to Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and citing the impact on European prices. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas disagreed with Radev's position, characterizing the diesel deal as a 'gift' to Vladimir Putin and noting the ongoing Russian attacks and ineffective ceasefire. The newly installed Radev government has signaled a new peace agenda, questioning the efficacy of sending more arms into the conflict.