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Bulgaria is ready to support the expansion of sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova told Bulgarian journalists in Brussels, where she arrived to attend a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. "Bulgaria's reservations were taken into account, and we are ready to support the package," she said.
Bulgaria had objections to the inclusion in the sanctions list of Russian Patriarch Kirill and Vagit Alekperov, owner and former president of Lukoil. It argued that including the Patriarch would have no economic or financial impact on Russia and would not contribute to ending the war. At the same time, such a measure is likely to be used for propaganda purposes, including to fuel anti-European sentiment. As for Alekperov, it insisted that his presence in the sanctions package would have significant adverse consequences for the operations of the Lukoil Group companies that play a key role in Bulgaria's economy.
Petrova noted that there is still no full agreement on the sanctions proposed by the European Commission due to objections from Greece in the energy sector and from Austria in the financial sector. "Clearly, defending a national position does not lead to isolation. Bulgaria can achieve its objectives when it is able to defend its position with well-founded arguments," Petrova commented.
Foreign Minister Petrova also announced in Brussels that she will be traveling to Kyiv on Wednesday for talks focused on opportunities for the further development of Ukraine's energy security.