Bulgaria and the United States of America held the third session of the Strategic Dialogue on December 9, 2025 in Sofia. The US delegation was led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Christopher Smith, and the Bulgarian delegation was led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev took an active part in all main panels and presented the key priorities in the development of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
At the opening of the session, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov emphasized that as close friends, trusted partners and allies, Bulgaria and the United States of America share a common commitment to regional and global peace and security, sustainable economic growth, strengthening the close ties between our peoples, as well as further strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations. He added that “our joint actions in this direction create a solid foundation for deepening our bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the citizens of our two friendly countries.” Bulgaria and the United States place special focus on further expanding their mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas by building on the strategic partnership and elevating bilateral relations to an even higher level.
In his opening remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev emphasized the importance of the Strategic Dialogue, which creates a sustainable framework for the development of bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest, highlighting the significant results achieved in the last five years since the establishment of this format in 2020 in key areas of our strategic partnership, such as energy cooperation and diversification, joint projects for the construction of nuclear power plants with American AP1000 technology, with which our country is implementing this advanced technology in Europe and strengthening its role as an energy center, the strengthening of our defense capabilities through the acquisition of the new F-16 Block 70 fighters and the “Stryker“ armored vehicles, as well as efforts to promote regional and global security.
“The fact that Bulgaria is the first European Union Member State that Mr. Christopher Smith visits to conduct a Strategic Dialogue under the leadership of President Trump's administration is important evidence of the strategic nature of bilateral relations and the high degree of trust and closeness that bind Bulgaria and the United States of America“, he stated.
“Thanks to the strong leadership of US President Donald Trump, today there is a real opportunity to stop the bloodshed and end the war, paving the way for a just and lasting peace with the necessary guarantees for the security of Ukraine“, emphasized Minister Georg Georgiev, in the context of Russia's war in Ukraine. He also supported the US President's comprehensive framework for ending the conflict in Gaza, including the release of all hostages and ensuring sustainable humanitarian access.
Minister Georgiev expressed appreciation for the US government's commitment to promoting security, stability and prosperity in the Black Sea region. He also highlighted the strong partnership and coordination with the United States of America regarding the Western Balkans.
He stressed that Bulgaria's accession to the US Visa Waiver Program is a long-standing national priority, reaffirming our country's determination to fulfill the Program's criteria in order to enhance the security of our citizens. He highlighted the progress made by the Bulgarian authorities and the excellent bilateral cooperation with the United States.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Smith emphasized the “exceptional partnership with Bulgaria”, noting that this is “the first Strategic Dialogue that the Trump administration has held with a member state of the European Union”. He added that the strong relationship between Bulgaria and the United States strengthens regional security, ensures border protection, guarantees energy security, and promotes trade and prosperity. He emphasized that “together we are building a stronger, more secure, and more prosperous future for our countries”.
Within the framework of the Third Session of the Strategic Dialogue, several thematic panels were held, covering the main areas of the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United States - energy and investment, border security and law enforcement, data centers with artificial intelligence and new technologies, cooperation in security and defense, coordination in strategic communications, global security issues. Ministers of Energy Zhecho Stankov, Minister of Internal Affairs Daniel Mitov, Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov, Minister of Economy and Industry Petar Dilov, and Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Martin Danovski participated in the respective panels and presented the results achieved in the bilateral cooperation between Bulgaria and the United States in these key areas, emphasizing the strengthening of the strategic partnership in the interest of the progress and prosperity of both countries and peoples.
The session ended with the adoption of a Joint Statement.