Minister Georg Georgiev Delivered a Lecture at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris
04 June 2025 News
Minister Georg Georgiev delivered a lecture at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris, where he was present to participate in the annual ministerial meeting of the OECD Council.
The Institute is a well-established and leading platform for research and analysis in the field of contemporary global politics and diplomacy. In his address to a distinguished audience of diplomats, analysts, and prominent French public figures, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister presented Bulgaria's contribution to building a more secure and prosperous Europe, as well as the country’s vision for addressing the challenges arising from the radical transformation of the international environment and geopolitical fragmentation.
"Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is today the principal challenge not only to the European security architecture but also to the international rules-based order. The global security architecture is severely eroded, and there is growing trend of weakening established partnerships and security systems," Georgiev stated at the beginning of his address. He emphasized that factors such as the crisis in the Middle East, the increasing cooperation between autocratic regimes such as Russia, Iran, and North Korea, military conflicts in Africa - which may potentially lead to increased migratory flows towards Europe, hybrid and cyber threats, and the so-called "information warfare," all pose serious challenges to the EU and all democratic societies.
He recalled that, as an active member of the European Union and NATO, Bulgaria has consistently supported Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression from the very outset and is among the major donors of aid to Ukraine, which forms part of the EU’s coordinated support.
Georg Georgiev highlighted the efforts of the administration of President Donald Trump to actively work towards halting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and achieving a just and sustainable peace through negotiations. "Undoubtedly, any agreements that may be reached will have long-term implications not only for peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, but also for the global international order, and Bulgaria, as an ally on NATO's Eastern Flank and a Black Sea state, stands on the front line, and the agreements that are concluded directly affect us," he further stated. Georg Georgiev stressed that the fundamental principle negotiations must remain: "Nothing about Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine," – just as nothing concerning European security can be negotiated without the participation of the EU.
In this context, Minister Georgiev underlined that Bulgaria welcomes the ongoing planning process within the Coalition of the Willing to provide reliable security guarantees and ensure a sustainable and long-term peace in Ukraine. He noted that the prospects for further action depend directly on progress in ceasefire negotiations and potential peace agreements.
Georg Georgiev also reminded the audience that, alongside the military aggression in Ukraine, Russia is conducting a deliberate and no less dangerous information war against the democratic values and institutions of the EU and its Member States. He underlined that countering hybrid threats is a key priority for Bulgaria.
He added that the Black Sea region and the Western Balkans - both neighbouring and of particular importance to Bulgaria – are specific targets of hybrid operations, cyber threats, and attempts to interfere with the strategic foreign policy orientation of countries in the region.
In this regard, the Foreign Minister emphasized that the European integration of the Western Balkans remains a strategic goal for Bulgaria and recalled that significant momentum in this direction was achieved during Bulgaria’s first Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2018, when the issue was placed as a top priority. He further recalled that Bulgaria supported the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia to NATO and continues to support its EU membership, provided that the principle of own merits in meeting the criteria and undertaken commitments are upheld.
Regarding the crisis in the Middle East, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister emphasized that the strategic partnership with the USA is also vital in the context of pursuing a just and lasting solution to the Middle East conflict, noting that achieving such a resolution appears difficult without the active involvement and support of Washington.
Minister Georgiev also presented to the audience one of Bulgaria's highest foreign policy priorities – the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the OECD – as a logical continuation of the country’s efforts to build a modern democratic society and a prosperous market economy.
Georg Georgiev emphasized that Bulgaria's ambition is to complete the technical phase of the accession process by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026 and expressed hope that the country will be invited to join the organization within the following year.
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