Prime Minister Radev is in Brussels, meets with Mark Rutte, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa

Prime Minister Rumen Radev is on a visit to Brussels, where he is expected to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa.

The Prime Minister has been in the Belgian capital since yesterday, where he met with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Bart de Wever.

This is Radev's third European visit in his capacity as Prime Minister. The first was in Germany, and yesterday he was in Paris, where he was received by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Before his meeting with him, the Prime Minister stated that Europe was late in its efforts to start negotiations with Russia and must very quickly reassess its strategy and approach to this conflict. He stressed that the pursuit of "peace through force" and the attempt to achieve "conventional victory over the largest nuclear power" risk a dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine.

The Bulgarian delegation includes Deputy Prime Ministers Alexander Pulev, Ivo Hristov and Atanas Pekanov, as well as Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova and Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar is also visiting Brussels today, and will also meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Magyar's visit to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was not announced until last night, when it was learned that it would still take place, but on Friday.