On Thursday (28 May 2026) in Brussels, NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, met with the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, to discuss preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara.
Mr Rutte thanked Bulgaria for its contributions to secure the eastern flank, including the "Black Sea which is of key importance to the NATO Alliance". The Secretary General noted that Bulgaria hosts NATO Forward Land Forces in Novo Selo and also contributes troops to KFOR, NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo which promotes security and stability.
The Secretary General highlighted that Bulgaria is spending more on defence and he welcomed the investments being made in Bulgaria's defence industry "which is helping the whole of the Alliance to become stronger".
