Vietnam, Bulgaria Reaffirm Commitment to Strengthening Defence Cooperation

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: Vietnam consistently prioritizes the consolidation and enhancement of relations with traditional friends, with Bulgaria regarded as a key partner, affirmed Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Nguyễn Thị Minh Nguyệt during a recent meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov.

Ambassador Nguyệt underscored the strong development of the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, which continues to be marked by high political trust and mutual support in multilateral forums, particularly within the framework of the United Nations.

During the meeting, the Ambassador proposed several specific initiatives to advance bilateral defence cooperation, including the establishment of a strategic or policy dialogue mechanism, and the promotion of academic exchanges and experience sharing between military training institutions on an annual basis.

Minister Zapryanov affirmed Bulgaria’s recognition of Vietnam as an important partner and a bridge for deeper engagement with ASEAN member states. He hailed the state visit of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to Vietnam in November 2024 as a milestone event, significantly boosting momentum for strengthening bilateral relations.

Highlighting current defence ties, Zapryanov noted that the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence has maintained close and effective collaboration with its Vietnamese counterpart. He praised the regular exchange of military delegations between the two sides as an important channel for fostering mutual understanding and trust, and expressed Bulgaria’s intent to increase such exchanges to three per year starting in 2026.

The Bulgarian Minister also commended the role of the Vietnamese Defence Attaché Office in facilitating bilateral defence cooperation and revealed that Bulgaria is considering the deployment of a resident Defence Attaché in Vietnam.

Both sides acknowledged the significant potential for further cooperation in various areas, including high-level and expert delegation exchanges, military training, and collaboration in the defence industry.

In conclusion, Minister Zapryanov directed the Bulgarian Defence Policy and Planning Directorate to work closely with Vietnam’s representative agencies in Bulgaria and relevant departments of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence to ensure the effective implementation of the initiatives discussed.