At the international conference "Building resilience against foreign interference and manipulation of information," Ruslan Stefanov, program director of the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), highlighted that a significant portion of Bulgaria's population holds either neutral or favorable views towards Russia. Stefanov underscored concerns about Bulgaria's positioning as a Euro-Atlantic partner, noting insufficient actions to assert and protect this stance amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Stefanov emphasized the strategic importance for Bulgaria to clearly articulate why ending the war in Ukraine with a Ukrainian victory aligns with its Euro-Atlantic interests. He expressed observations that Bulgaria continues to maintain strong affinity towards Russia and its government compared to other nations.

According to Stefanov, Bulgaria is still recognized as one of Russia's staunchest supporters, despite broader European and transatlantic alliances that often conflict with Russian policies. These sentiments were shared during discussions at the conference, reflecting ongoing challenges in shaping Bulgaria's foreign policy orientation amid regional dynamics and global geopolitical shifts.