President Rumen Radev said on Tuesday that, as Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, he firmly opposes Bulgaria sending troops to Ukraine in any form, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

The head of state spoke to journalists during a celebration of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria.

He said: "I expect the government and the National Assembly to state clearly and unequivocally that Bulgaria will not send troops."

The matter of Bulgaria's engagement in Ukraine resurfaced after the US asked its European allies to fill out a questionnaire detailing how many troops and capabilities they could deploy in Ukraine as security guarantees to end the war. Former Bulgarian defence minister and diplomat Boiko Noev said on National Radio on Sunday that Bulgaria should be at the forefront of the nations that support the security and independence of Ukraine.