(MENAFN) Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has openly criticized the European Union’s ongoing military support for Ukraine, asserting that the country’s chances of victory against Russia are “doomed.” His comments, posted on Facebook Friday, coincided with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, which marked the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Radev described it as “the tragedy of our time” that, decades after World War II, Europe is once again resorting to military means to resolve disputes. He argued that the EU lacks a clear vision for peace and continues to support a cause he believes is doomed. He contended that sending more weapons to Ukraine will not bring peace, but only result in “more victims, destruction, and lost territory” every day, calling such hopes “utopian.”

The Bulgarian leader also questioned the EU’s motivations in prolonging the war. He wondered if Europe was “afraid of the return of peace,” which would shift public attention back to internal crises. Radev emphasized that Europe must abandon its militaristic approach and focus on diplomacy, recalling how unity and prosperity in the post-World War II era were achieved through cooperation and a rejection of the rivalries and hatreds that led to the war.

Radev, a vocal opponent of sending military aid to Ukraine, is one of the few EU leaders to publicly oppose Brussels’ firm stance against Russia. He has previously argued that Ukraine cannot defeat Russia and called for peace negotiations to end the conflict.

In response to Western military aid, Russia has repeatedly warned that it would only prolong the conflict. Moscow recently offered a 72-hour ceasefire to mark Victory Day, which Ukraine rejected, demanding instead a 30-day ceasefire. Despite the ceasefire offer, Ukraine launched several attacks, including cross-border incursions into Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions.

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