During his meeting in Athens with Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his country's interest in purchasing the two Bulgarian reactors from the unfinished "Belene" nuclear power plant and its equipment, the government press office announced today.

The interest in the reactors was announced in July, when Zelensky visited Bulgaria. The Ministry of Energy is currently assessing the assets, the Prime Minister commented.

The Ukrainian president raised the issue of concerted efforts by the Black Sea member states of NATO to ensure security in the region. Ukraine is already holding talks on this topic with Turkey and Romania and has invited Bulgaria to join them, the press center reports.

"In Athens, President Zelensky once again thanked Prime Minister Acad. Denkov for the help provided by Bulgaria to Ukraine. At a meeting between the two, the Prime Minister reminded the Ukrainian head of state that there is already a decision by the Bulgarian government to send one hundred armored personnel carriers to Ukraine from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Ratification by the Parliament is expected to complete the procedure," the announcement added.

"I thank Bulgaria for the military and political support. I had a good conversation with Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov at the Balkan-Ukrainian meeting," wrote the head of state of Ukraine.

From the text under the photo, it is clear that the two also discussed additional cooperation, as well as security in the Black Sea and alternative corridors for the supply of grain.

There is no information on when exactly the meeting took place.

Earlier today, we published information about the visit of Bulgaria's Defense Minister, Todor Tagarev, to Ukraine.

Yesterday, Denkov was in Athens for a meeting with his Greek colleague Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the leaders of the countries of the Western Balkans. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, were also present at the meeting. Volodymyr Zelensky also joined the meeting.

With the leaders from the Balkans, Denkov has arranged to hold a meeting in Varna on October 9, at the Euxinograd residence, to discuss the key project for a transport corridor from Thessaloniki through Kavala, Alexandroupolis, Burgas, Varna and Constanta, with the possibility of an extension to Moldova. "The idea is to build a modern transport, communication and energy infrastructure along the route, which will activate the economic and political ties between the countries involved. The future corridor will function even more efficiently when all the countries along the route become members of the Schengen area and borders between them drop out," reports the government press center. The transport link would be of great importance in starting the process of rebuilding Ukraine. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, are also invited to the meeting on October 9.

Michel and von der Leyen confirmed the EU's interest in expanding the union to the Western Balkans as well as to Moldova and Ukraine. However, this process must go simultaneously with reforms in these countries, the European leaders stressed.

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