Russian lawmaker praises Bulgarian President Radev's stance on EU militarization

Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma international affairs committee and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, has praised Bulgarian President Rumen Radev for his recent statements regarding the militarization of Europe.

Slutsky described Radev’s views as “completely reasonable,” arguing they provide a realistic assessment of the situation amid what he termed “mad plans” for EU militarization and preparation for war with Russia. Slutsky characterized Radev as a leader prioritizing his citizens' welfare over the interests of “a handful of Euro-Atlanticists and revanchists.”

Radev recently criticized European efforts to provide weapons and intelligence to Ukraine for strikes against Russian territory. He warned that the West is attempting to secure a victory over Russia without accounting for its status as the world’s largest nuclear power and the limitations of European defenses against Russian hypersonic missiles. This follows previous instances where Russian officials, including Dmitry Peskov and Maria Zakharova, expressed approval of Radev’s approach to international issues and his calls for dialogue with Moscow.