Poroshenko Hopes New Bulgarian President Keeps Anti-Russia Sanctions in Place

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko expressed a hope that the newly elected president of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, will continue the policy of enforcing EU sanctions against Russia, the Ukrainian leader's press office said in a statement on Thursday.

KIEV (Sputnik) — In a telephone call, Poroshenko informed his Bulgarian counterpart of the escalation in Donbas region, praising "the consistent support that Bulgaria provides to protect Ukraine's territorial integrity."

"He expressed hope that the new president of Bulgaria will continue this policy, particularly in the context of preserving EU sanctions against Russia," the press service stated.

The sides agreed on further coordination between the two countries to intensify the process of Ukraine's European integration and the strengthening of its cooperation with NATO.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade, economic relations and cooperation in the fields of energy security, as well as the possibility of holding another session of the joint Ukrainian-Bulgarian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation.

According to the press service, Poroshenko invited Radev for an official visit to Ukraine at a time convenient for the latter.

Since 2014, relations between Russia and the European Union, including Bulgaria, deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, which Moscow has repeatedly denied. In December, EU leaders agreed to extend the sanctions against Russia for a further six months, until mid-2017.