WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday met with Prime Minister of Bulgaria Kiril Petkov along with Energy Minister Aleksandar Nikolov, Defense Minister Dragomir Zako, and Deputy Foreign Minister Velislava Petrov to discuss energy security in Bulgaria and progress on bilateral talks with North Macedonia. Murphy released the following statement after the meeting:

“I was glad to meet with Prime Minister Petkov to discuss Bulgaria’s support for Ukraine and how the United States can help secure alternative energy sources following Russia’s suspension of Gazprom deliveries to the country. It’s critical we invest in energy security assistance in the next Ukraine supplemental to help countries like Bulgaria end their reliance on Russian oil and gas and cut Putin off from his greatest source of revenue,” said Murphy. “We also discussed the importance of progress on bilateral talks with North Macedonia to unblock Skopje’s pathway to membership in the European Union. North Macedonia’s membership is ultimately in Bulgaria’s interest, and I made clear the United States’ support for a conclusion that ensures a path forward.”

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