President Rumen Radev had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last night. According to Washington, Blinken welcomed the decision of the Bulgarian parliament to provide military aid to Ukraine in support of its self-defense, while information from Sofia about the conversation reads that the two discussed the need to support Ukraine in the harsh conditions of the targeted destruction of its energy and civil infrastructure, which causes the suffering of millions of innocent people.

According to reports, the U.S. Secretary of State pointed out the importance of diversifying energy sources and of reforms related to the rule of law in Bulgaria in the name of the prosperity of the Bulgarian people and solidarity with the EU. The message from the Bulgarian presidency also points out the importance of energy diversification and of taking timely measures to ensure alternative supplies of crude oil for the "Lukoil" refinery in Burgas after the expiration of the derogation on imports of Russian oil. Rumen Radev also spoke about the possibility of building an oil pipeline from Alexandroupolis to Burgas in order to avoid the closure of the refinery, which is one of the key enterprises for the country's economy.

The Bulgarian head of state has also called for finding a solution to the question if Bulgaria could lease fighter jets until a Bulgarian squadron of F-16 fighter jets is formed.