“European sanctions have nothing to do with the possible claims related to state interference in the management of “Lukoil“, which arise from US sanctions. These are two completely different cases“. This was stated in the program “Offensive with Lyubo Ognyanov“ on NOVA, the former acting Minister of Foreign Affairs in the “Gyurov” cabinet, Nadezhda Neynsky. According to her, different sanction regimes are often deliberately mixed up.
“I tried to find information in the international media whether the statement of the Bulgarian Prime Minister at the Gdansk forum was echoed. Unfortunately, I did not find any such publications. Obviously, it was not in the focus of international interest“, she commented on Rumen Radev's participation in the High-Level International Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine, hosted this year by the Polish city of Gdansk.
According to her, two theses from the Prime Minister's statement are impressive. “The first is that the reconstruction of Ukraine must begin after the end of the war. The second is that this process must go hand in hand with the development of energy connectivity. If the second is part of the European consensus, then there is a significant discrepancy with the first thesis. The participants in the forum were categorical that the reconstruction should begin immediately, without waiting for the end of the war, because security and defense capabilities are a key condition for long-term reconstruction“, explained Neynsky. According to her, this is precisely the reason why the Bulgarian Prime Minister's words did not receive a serious international response.
Regarding the Ukrainian strikes against targets in Russia, Neynsky believes that Moscow is already feeling the reality of the war. “Russia suffered a strategic defeat in terms of one of its main goals - the demilitarization of Ukraine. Instead, Kiev now has a modern army, built according to NATO standards. Technologically, it is among the leading countries in the world and produces millions of combat drones annually. It is no coincidence that NATO is already partnering with Ukraine in military technology“.
According to her, Vladimir Putin has only two choices. “Either move towards a peace agreement and accept the existence of a heavily armed and hostile neighbor, or continue the war, thus giving even more time to the Ukrainian military industry to develop. Europe already considers Ukraine as part of its own security and political and military support will not stop“.
She also commented on the stated intention of Prime Minister Rumen Radev to oppose a new package of European sanctions against Russia. “The government has introduced a new style - one thing is said in Bulgaria, and another is done in Brussels. The country declares that there will be opposition to the sanctions, but at European meetings Bulgaria supports the extension of the current restrictions. This practice of duality can hardly continue for long“.
According to her, the prime minister has all the political tools to realize his stated intentions. “As president, he did not have such powers. Today, however, he has a parliamentary majority and a government that is entirely under his control. If he really wants to block a new package of sanctions, he has the opportunity to do so“.
Neinsky also commented on the discussion surrounding the inclusion of Russian Patriarch Kirill in the sanctions list. “For years, Russia has used both energy and the church as tools of its foreign policy. The sanctions against Patriarch Kirill are personal. They are not directed against the Russian Orthodox Church, but against his public support for the war and justification of violence against Ukrainians“.