Rumen Georgiev Radev

Public record

Compiled from publications and official records as of 18.10.2026. Every statement links to its source; claims made by others are marked as such, with who makes them. Quotations in English are our translation.

Russia

• Russia. In June 2019, as President, at the St Petersburg economic forum he told Putin: "we have already acquired two Russian reactors, which means and implies that Russia has a place in building the future nuclear plant" (Belene; our translation). — 24 Chasa, 06.06.2019
• Russia. In November 2021, in a TV debate, he said Crimea is "currently Russian"; Ukraine summoned the Bulgarian ambassador and called the statement incorrect and inadmissible. — RFE/RL, 19.11.2021 In April 2026 he repeated that "Crimea is Russian" is "a realistic position" (our translation). — Sega, 17.04.2026
• Ukraine. In December 2023 he vetoed the ratification of the agreement to give Ukraine 100 armoured personnel carriers. — RFE/RL, 04.12.2023
• Sanctions. As Prime Minister in June 2026 he announced that Bulgaria would veto the EU's 21st sanctions package against Russia if it included Patriarch Kirill, and would veto sanctions against Lukoil co-owner Vagit Alekperov. — Mediapool, 23.06.2026; 24 Chasa, 19.06.2026 His cabinet also stopped direct military aid to Ukraine. — Mediapool, 19.06.2026
• TurkStream. According to classified memos of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) published by BIRD, in autumn 2017 the agency told the three highest office-holders, President Radev among them, that the main aim of the TurkStream extension was "possibly halting gas transit through Ukraine" (our translation). The presidency did not answer RFE/RL's questions. — RFE/RL, 26.09.2022
• Sochi, 2018. Osman Oktay (former DPS deputy chair, member of Radev's 2021 initiative committee, later fell out with him) claims Radev told him that at their Sochi meeting Putin asked: "I called you to ask when you will return those 700 million you stole for South Stream" (our translation). The presidency called the account "an arbitrary interpretation". — Club Z, 25.06.2024

Corruption and scandals

• Wiretap, 2020. In January 2020 the prosecutor's office under Ivan Geshev published a recording attributed to Radev and stated it had data on "a high degree of probability of involvement in criminal activity" by the President, not connected with his office (our translation). The proceedings were suspended because of his immunity; no charge followed. The prosecutor's office and the President were in open conflict at the time. — RFE/RL, 28.01.2020
• His wife in the Air Force. In 2019 the anti-corruption commission (KPKONPI) found no conflict of interest in the appointment of his future wife Desislava Radeva in the Air Force while he was its commander; for the 2014 agreement it said the three-year limitation period had expired. — Dir.bg, 05.08.2019
• Fighter jets, 2017. A temporary parliamentary commission concluded that the fighter-jet project "was compromised by the team in the defence ministry ..., including President Rumen Radev as former commander of the Air Force" (our translation); the BSP and Radev called the commission political. — Mediapool, 05.10.2017
• "The President's cashiers". In January 2024 Delyan Peevski (under US and UK Magnitsky sanctions, in open conflict with Radev) accused the presidency of corruption schemes, "the President's cashiers" and "the Koprinka path". Radev rejected it; no investigation was reported. — RFE/RL, 29.01.2024