UK deepens defence relationship with Bulgaria

The announcement was made following Defence Secretary Michael Fallon’s visit to Sofia, where the Cabinet member confirmed he was committed to helping Bulgaria deal with increased militarisation in the Crimea and the Black Sea.

Fallon visit to the region was the first of its kind for more than 20 years.

Fallon met with Nikolay Nenchev, Defence Secretary for Bulgaria, and agreed to send a UK Type 45 Destroyer to the Black Sea in Spring 2017 as a demonstration of the UK’s on-going commitment to support Bulgaria, NATO’s southern flank, and wider shared security interests. This follows on from the UK gift of 40 Land Rovers to the Bulgarian Border Force this
summer.

Fallon said: “A vote to leave the EU will not change Britain’s commitment to European and Global security. We are more determined than ever to uphold our defence responsibilities which is why we are doing more in the world today, not less. The UK is a global power with global influence and we’re determined to continue using it for the global good.

“We want to send a clear message to our Bulgarian and European allies that we are standing strong with them to defeat our shared security threats. By tightening our ties today we’re giving citizens in Bulgaria, the UK and the whole of Eastern Europe greater hope of a brighter future.

“The UK and Bulgaria share the same values, face the same threats and share the same desire to have modern 21st century forces. We also share the same resolve to stand firm against aggression and the same desire to strengthen NATO the cornerstone of our defence.”

Fallon added: “As Bulgaria invests more in defence the UK stands ready to help. We are Europe’s leading defence exporter, generating £4 billion in security exports a year. We have the skills and expertise to help modernise the Bulgarian Armed Forces and want to help develop their capabilities.

“The UK has a world-class technology base and an innovation initiative to harness our brightest brains to help us, and our allies, stay ahead of the curve.

“UK companies are already assisting our Bulgarian friends and we are eager to make even greater progress by forging new friendships and seeing where future collaborations might lead to make our nations safer and more prosperous.”