The Ukraine and Bulgaria, a major arms manufacturer, have signed a 10-year defense agreement, announced Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, March 30. He expressed being “very satisfied” with this partnership, signed during a visit to Kyiv by Bulgarian interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov.
The agreement involves “joint production, on the territory of our countries, of various types of weapons, including drones” and also includes a significant energy component, stated the Ukrainian president during a press conference.
The duration of the agreement is expected to “systematize” cooperation in security matters, especially keeping pace with the rapid technological evolution of drones, a crucial weapon in Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s massive invasion, explained Volodymyr Zelensky.
Bulgaria, now a member of NATO and the EU, was part of the communist bloc during the Cold War and produced munitions and weapons conforming to Soviet standards for decades, which are also used by the Ukrainian army.
According to government data, nearly 4% of Bulgaria’s GDP comes from the defense industry, which has thrived since Russia started the war in Ukraine in 2022.
Bulgaria has already sent large quantities of arms to Kyiv, and Andrey Gyurov praised the new agreement as the “result of long preparation.” “This is not just a formality, but a joint commitment to our Euro-Atlantic security,” he assured.
The two leaders also confirmed they are working on creating a gas corridor, known as the “vertical gas corridor,” linking Greece to several countries in Southeastern Europe.
From the Bulgarian side, joint production will be funded by the EU’s defense fund program, Safe. “We have also approved, as a government, a national contribution to NATO’s Purl initiative, and this is solidarity in action. It is something that we believe will strengthen Europe’s security as a whole,” stated Andrey Gyurov.
This agreement, in the works since 2024, was long blocked in Bulgaria by former President Roumen Radev and the previous interim government. Andrey Gyurov ratified this agreement the day before the Bulgarian elections scheduled for April 19, where polls show the former president and his pro-Russian allies as winners.
Accords with the Gulf
The agreement with Bulgaria follows a series of similar agreements recently signed by Volodymyr Zelensky with Gulf partners, also for a decade.
Ukraine has agreed to provide the Gulf states with its complete air defense system, including maritime drones, electronic warfare and interception technologies, to combat Iranian drones, as announced by the Ukrainian president after a tour of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Jordan.
“It is not just interceptors, but also defense lines, software, electronic warfare systems… In other words, we are adopting a comprehensive approach,” he explained.
He also confirmed that Ukrainian maritime drones were part of the agreements with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
Kyiv’s naval drone fleet has grown in recent years, and Ukrainian maritime drones have proved effective in inflicting heavy losses on Russian military sites and ships in the Black Sea, such as the Magura-V5 drones used to target the Russian fleet.
Volodymyr Zelensky also stated that Ukraine is willing to share its expertise in blocking maritime commercial routes with naval drones.
What does Ukraine get in return?
For Ukraine, the agreements with the Gulf states offer an opportunity to expand its arms exports globally. The head of state had announced in September that Kyiv was ready to take this long-awaited step, transforming the country’s defense industry and allowing partners access to the most rare weapons, those tested on the battlefield.
“This is why it is important that the agreements were signed for ten years,” he stated. “It is about exports and opening exports. But it is the right kind of openness, where we understand that we are not selling our expertise for nothing.”
Kyiv’s top priority is Ukraine’s air defense against Russian ballistic missiles. Volodymyr Zelensky declared that his country faces a shortage of PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot air defense systems.
Since only about sixty of them are produced per month, many are delivered to the Middle East. “We can see that partners are directing as many as possible to regions where the situation is most intense today, namely the Middle East,” he emphasized.
He also mentioned that the issue was raised during his Gulf visit but declined to provide further details. “Of course, this issue was raised in the Middle Eastern countries. I will not go into details. We will continue to work to ensure that Ukraine is supplied in this area,” concluded the Ukrainian president.
