The Minister of Environment and Water Julian Popov is part of the Bulgarian delegation led by the Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov on the visit to Kiev, which is to express Bulgarian support for Ukraine two years after the Kremlin's ruthless aggression.

Members of the delegation expressed their confidence that Ukraine should benefit from the justice under international law, and spoke in support of universal human rights at the sight of the demolished apartment buildings in the Solomianskyi district of Kiev. During a meeting at the Marin Palace, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted our two countries' joint efforts in the Black Sea and Danube regions to expand trade routes and restore normal navigation.

During the visit, the Bulgarian delegation also took part in a conference by the International platform for the release of civilians detained by the Russian Federation, which was held in the context of President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula. Bulgaria remains committed to the implementation of Ukraine's Peace Formula to achieve a just and sustainable peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

As co-chair of Working Group 8 on "Environmental Security" of President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula, Bulgaria, together with Finland and Germany, also has the opportunity to pave the way for investments and policies that promote environmental protection, renewable energy, sustainable practices, and green job creation.

As a reminder, in the framework of the global climate meeting COP28 in Dubai, Bulgaria took on the role of a co-leader for the ecological restoration of Ukraine. Minister Julian Popov participated in a separate thematic panel from the program of the Bulgarian Pavilion, dedicated to the green recovery of Ukraine. This includes creating renewable energy infrastructure, promoting energy efficiency, and incorporating environmentally friendly practices into recovery efforts. Minister Popov stated that joint efforts can bring together expertise, technology, and financial resources to help Ukraine build a sustainable future against ongoing geopolitical challenges.