Bulgaria: Radev’s Victory Raises Questions Over Europe’s Ammunition Supply To Ukraine
By EurActiv
By Pietro Guastamacchia
(EurActiv) — Lawmakers in the European Parliament fear that Rumen Radev’s victory in Bulgaria could disrupt the country’s crucial ammunition supply chain to Ukraine.
The change of power in Sofia “is likely to pose risks” to ammunition supply, Renew Group President Valerie Hayer said on Monday, which she added “could tighten stockpiles across Europe and slow delivery timelines”.
Radev, a fighter-jet pilot turned politician, has frequently spoken out against the sale of Bulgarian stockpiles of Soviet-era weapons to Ukraine. During the campaign, he also harshly criticised the 10-year defence agreement signed between Bulgaria and Ukraine, signalling potential policy changes.
Bulgaria has so far played a central role in Ukraine’s defence. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it has become one of the key suppliers of weapons and ammunition used by Ukrainian forces.
A key element of this production is the VMZ factory in Sopot, which produces explosives and NATO-standard 155 mm artillery shells. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said upon visiting the plant in August 2025 that it “produced one-third of the weapons delivered to Ukraine at the start of the war”, praising Bulgaria for contributing to “Europe’s security as a whole”.
Just two months after the visit, German defence company Rheinmetall announced a €1bn joint venture with VMZ to produce up to 100,000 155 mm shells per year. Part of the deal includes the construction of a separate gunpowder factory in Sopot, with Rheinmetall holding a 51% stake. The project forms part of wider European efforts to scale up ammunition production.
EPP sources meanwhile told Euractiv it is too early to draw conclusions on Radev’s future international positioning, stressing notably that “the country’s economy relies a lot on these deals”.
“He needs a good relationship with Brussels if he wants to govern for long so it’s in his interest to be careful not to disrupt ammunition production, a sector that has grown rapidly, reaching over 70,000 employees,” the sources added.
