# Thank You, Bulgaria, for Proving NATO Can Still Keep Its Word > Introduction: a visit that deserves more than a footnote - Author: Maxime Marquette - Publisher: MadMax (https://mad-max.co) - Section: Open letter - Published: 2026-07-04 - Canonical URL: https://mad-max.co/en/article/merci-bulgarie-de-prouver-que-lotan-peut-encore-tenir-parole ## Introduction: a visit that deserves more than a footnote ### What happened in Sofia Dear reader, let me tell you about a diplomatic visit that made no headlines anywhere in North America, yet deserves our full attention. **General Alexus Grynkewich**, the new **Supreme Allied Commander Europe** (**SACEUR**), traveled to **Bulgaria** on **July 1 and 2, 2026**, at the invitation of the Bulgarian chief of defense, **Admiral Emil Eftimov**. There he met with **President Roumen Radev** and **Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov**. This visit took place at a pivotal moment: just before the **NATO summit in Ankara**, scheduled for **July 7 and 8, 2026**, where nearly **100 delegations** are expected. The message sent from **Sofia** was clear: the **Alliance**'s southeastern flank is preparing, modernizing, and coordinating. ### Why I'm writing you this open letter I'm choosing the **open letter** format because this kind of story deserves to be told directly, without bureaucratic filtering, to you who have followed the war in **Ukraine** and the **West**'s posture for years. **Bulgaria**, often seen as a secondary link in **NATO**, has just demonstrated something important: small countries can keep their word when the big ones hesitate. This letter is addressed as much to **Bulgarian citizens** funding this defense effort as to Western readers more broadly, who sometimes feel that **NATO** is just a string of broken promises. *I'll admit it: I expected yet another hollow press release about "strengthening the strategic partnership." What I found when I dug deeper pleasantly surprised me, and that deserves to be said plainly.* ## What General Grynkewich said, word for word ### A rare and well-earned recognition According to remarks reported by **Fakti.bg**, **General Grynkewich** delivered a remarkably glowing assessment of **Bulgaria** as an ally: **"A stronger Bulgaria contributes to a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO,"** he said, adding that the country **"not only meets its commitments made in The Hague in 2025, but has already exceeded the 2% of GDP defense requirement."** That's no minor detail. In an **Alliance** where several members still struggle to reach the **2%** threshold, seeing a country like **Bulgaria** exceed it, with a trajectory toward **5% of GDP by 2035**, deserves to be highlighted loudly. ### The concrete proof behind the words The **general** noted that **Bulgaria** has already **received** its first batch of **eight F-16 Block 70 fighter jets** and is awaiting delivery of **183 Stryker combat vehicles**. These aren't distant promises: they are ongoing, documented, verifiable deliveries. This material modernization comes alongside less visible but equally crucial work: increasing the **interoperability** of the Bulgarian army within NATO's command structures, an effort that takes years to bear fruit. *This kind of official statement sometimes rings hollow coming from certain leaders. Here, the numbers back up the words, and that's precisely what distinguishes a serious ally from one that settles for good press releases.* ## Black Sea security, a stated strategic priority ### A theater too often forgotten Discussions in **Sofia** focused heavily on **Black Sea security**, a strategic theater that remains, in my view, under-covered by Western **media** compared to other fronts. Yet this is where a crucial part of the **West**'s ability to contain Russian ambitions in the region is being decided. Strengthening **joint missions** between **Bulgaria**, **Romania**, and **Turkey** to protect critical underwater infrastructure is a direct response to suspected sabotage incidents on cables and pipelines observed in the region in recent years. ### A trilateral coordination taking shape This cooperation among three **Black Sea** coastal countries, each with its own national priorities, is not a diplomatic given. The fact that it is progressing concretely, with joint missions already under active discussion, reflects a regional strategic maturity that deserves to be praised rather than taken for granted. This trilateral dynamic could, in time, become a model for other sensitive areas of NATO's **eastern flank**, where coordination between neighbors is often more complicated than advertised. *The Black Sea doesn't make headlines as often as other fronts, but this is exactly the kind of quiet **matter** where the West's real credibility toward Moscow is being decided.* ## The Bulgarian example against the lag of some allies ### An uncomfortable but necessary contrast It must be said plainly: not all **NATO** members behave like **Bulgaria**. Several historic allies, richer and more populous, still struggle to reach the collectively agreed defense spending thresholds, which has fueled years of criticism, notably from **Donald Trump**, over the unequal sharing of the burden within the **Alliance**. On this specific point, I must admit that **Trump**'s criticism of certain European partners deemed too timid on their defense budgets was not without merit, even if his communication style has often been seen as blunt by European diplomats. ### What Bulgaria concretely proves Bulgaria's trajectory shows that a country with more limited economic resources than **Germany** or **France** can, with clear **political** will, exceed its obligations to the **Alliance**. That removes an easy argument from those who claim the Western defense effort is structurally impossible to sustain. This contrast should, logically, serve as a spur for European capitals still dragging their feet on their budgetary commitments to **NATO**. *I'll credit Trump on this specific point: he was right to push hard on burden-sharing, even if I don't always like how he does it. Here, on the military front, firmness pays off.* ## The Ankara summit as backdrop ### A visit timed deliberately The timing chosen for this visit is no accident. Traveling to **Bulgaria** just before the **Ankara summit** on **July 7 and 8, 2026**, allows the **SACEUR** to arrive at the table with concrete success stories to present to other Alliance members. **Turkey**, hosting the summit, has voiced clear expectations regarding unity and solidarity among allies, a message the Bulgarian visit reinforces through example rather than through speeches alone. ### What can be hoped for from Ankara Without giving in to naive optimism, it's reasonable to hope that the **Ankara** summit will further consolidate the commitments made in **The Hague in 2025**, particularly on the trajectory toward **5% of GDP** devoted to defense by **2035**, an ambitious goal now considered achievable by several capitals. The presence of nearly **100 delegations** at this summit testifies to the diplomatic scale of the event, in a geopolitical context where every signal of Western cohesion matters against the ambitions of **Moscow**, **Beijing**, and **Tehran**. *I remain cautious about big summits, which often produce more photo ops than concrete results. But the context of this one, with the war in Ukraine still ongoing, leaves little room for leniency toward allies still dragging their feet.* ## Bulgarian military modernization, a foundational effort ### From aircraft to armored vehicles Beyond the **F-16 Block 70s** already delivered, **Bulgaria** is undertaking a complete overhaul of its ground capabilities with the announced arrival of **183 Stryker vehicles**. This modernization thus touches both the air and land components of its military, an effort rarely pursued so simultaneously by a country of this size. This material transformation fits within a broader budgetary framework in which **Bulgaria** has managed to turn financial resources into real combat capabilities, according to **General Grynkewich**'s own remarks during his visit. ### The role of European funds in this transformation This modernization isn't happening in a vacuum. Discussions in **Sofia** also covered the more effective use of **financial instruments** from the **Alliance** and the **European Union** on defense matters, notably to expand regional connectivity among neighboring countries on the southeastern flank. This linkage between European **funding** and **NATO** military objectives illustrates a growing institutional convergence between the two organizations, long criticized for bureaucratic redundancies. *Finally seeing European funds and NATO objectives converge rather than needlessly overlap is exactly the kind of technocratic progress we never celebrate loudly enough.* ## The shadow cast by the war in Ukraine over this visit ### A southeastern flank looking east with concern It's impossible to understand this visit without placing it in the context of **Russia**'s war against **Ukraine** since **2022**. The **Black Sea** is directly affected by this conflict, whether through tensions on maritime traffic, incidents involving drifting mines, or Russian military maneuvers in the region. Strengthening NATO's southeastern flank is therefore not a theoretical exercise: it is a direct response to a neighborhood that has become objectively more dangerous since the Russian invasion. ### President Zelensky, a moral reference point of this era In this context, the Ukrainian resistance led for years by **President Volodymyr Zelensky** continues to serve as a moral reference point for all countries on NATO's eastern flank, **Bulgaria** included, who see military firmness as a condition of survival rather than one diplomatic option among others. This de facto solidarity between southeastern flank countries and besieged **Ukraine** illustrates a regional awareness that collective security is no longer negotiable at the margins. *Zelensky remains, in my eyes, one of the rare contemporary political **figures** whose physical and political courage far exceeds rhetoric. Seeing him referenced in the background of regional security discussions is no coincidence.* ## The legitimate criticisms that shouldn't be brushed aside ### Reasonable skepticism about long-term goals It would be dishonest to present this visit as an unqualified success story. Some regional analysts, cited by several Bulgarian **media** outlets, remain skeptical about Bulgaria's real capacity to maintain its spending trajectory through **2035**, particularly in the event of an economic slowdown or a domestic political shift. This skepticism deserves to be heard rather than dismissed out of hand: fifteen-year budgetary commitments are, by nature, more fragile than material deliveries already completed. ### Internal Bulgarian political tensions to watch **Bulgaria** is also going through internal debates over certain regional naval cooperation proposals, notably around a Romanian proposal for a joint naval force that has sparked divisions between the **prime minister** and **President Radev**, according to reports from **Novinite**. These internal tensions are a reminder that the cohesion on display during official visits shouldn't mask very real political debates over the best way to deliver on these defense commitments. *I refuse to turn this piece into unqualified advertising for Bulgarian diplomacy. The internal tensions are real, and staying silent about them would betray the rigor I've set for myself.* ## What this means for the rest of Eastern Europe ### An example for Romania and Greece to follow Bulgaria's trajectory could serve as a model for other southeastern flank countries like **Romania** and **Greece**, both facing similar military modernization challenges amid a regional environment more unstable than a decade ago. This regional dynamic, if it holds, could gradually transform NATO's entire southeastern flank into a zone of credible deterrence rather than a link perceived as secondary compared to the more heavily covered northeastern flank. ### Turkey's role as host and key player **Turkey**, by hosting the **Ankara** summit, is also positioning itself as a central player in this regional dynamic, despite sometimes tense relations with certain Western partners on other diplomatic matters. **Turkey**'s ability to play a unifying role on southeastern flank security issues, while maintaining distinct positions on other international matters, illustrates both the complexity and the resilience of the Alliance's internal balances. *Turkey remains a complicated ally, sometimes frustrating for Western chancelleries, but its role as the geographic pivot on this specific matter is hard to dispute.* ## Why this story deserves your attention, dear reader ### Against NATO media fatigue I know many of you feel a kind of fatigue toward the repeated announcements of NATO reinforcement, since they often sound alike from one press release to the next. That's exactly why I wanted to single out this Bulgarian visit: because it contains verifiable numbers, concrete deliveries, and well-earned public recognition, rather than a mere communications exercise. In a world saturated with hollow announcements, distinguishing kept commitments from empty promises strikes me as a minimal journalistic duty, especially on subjects as crucial as Western collective security. ### A useful reminder in the face of the West's rivals As **China**, **Iran**, **Russia**, and **North Korea** continue to test Western cohesion on several fronts simultaneously, every concrete example of effective solidarity within **NATO** deserves to be documented and praised, rather than drowned in the continuous flow of bad geopolitical news. **Bulgaria** reminds us, at its own scale, that Western firmness remains possible when the political will genuinely exists, beyond mere speeches. *I much prefer writing about a modest, verifiable success than about a spectacular but hollow disaster. This letter is my way of insisting on what works, without naivety about what remains fragile.* ## Lessons for future NATO summits ### Transparency as a tool of credibility One of the most useful lessons from this Bulgarian visit is the value of numerical **transparency**: giving precise percentages, concrete delivery dates, measurable long-term goals. This approach strengthens the **Alliance**'s credibility far more effectively than vague diplomatic phrases about "continued strengthening of the partnership." Future **NATO** summits, including the one in **Ankara**, would benefit from generalizing this practice of numerical, verifiable communication across all member countries, rather than reserving it for the occasional star pupil. ### The need for rigorous follow-up over time It will be necessary to track, in the years ahead, whether **Bulgaria** actually maintains its trajectory toward **5% of GDP in 2035**, and whether other southeastern flank countries manage to align with this example rather than simply admiring the Bulgarian performance from a distance. This rigorous, multi-year follow-up will be the real test of the sincerity of this commitment, well beyond **General Grynkewich**'s single ceremonial visit to **Sofia**. *I promise, as a columnist, to revisit this **matter** in the years ahead to check whether Bulgaria's trajectory holds up, rather than publishing this letter and moving on to something else.* ## What I personally take away from this visit ### Cautious pride, not triumphalism I'm closing this letter with a form of cautious pride for **Bulgaria**, without falling into misplaced triumphalism. A country of roughly **6.5 million people** exceeding its obligations to the **Alliance** deserves to be cited as an example, without that erasing the structural challenges that remain, notably economic and demographic ones. This cautious pride comes with necessary vigilance: the commitments made today will need to be honored year after year, in a budgetary context that could tighten. ### A message of measured hope for the whole West If a country with more limited resources than its wealthier Western neighbors can sustain this pace of defense investment, that should inspire a form of measured hope for the entire Western camp facing simultaneous challenges from **Russia**, **China**, **Iran**, and **North Korea**. It's this measured hope, grounded in verifiable facts rather than wishful thinking, that I wanted to share with you through this open letter. *If I had to sum up this letter in one sentence: sometimes good geopolitical news really does exist, you just have to dig a little beyond the headlines to find it.* ## What this concretely changes for Western deterrence ### One more piece in a larger puzzle Bulgarian modernization alone does not change the overall strategic balance against **Russia**. But it constitutes one more piece, concrete and verifiable, in a puzzle of collective deterrence that only works if every link holds its position. This logic of cumulative deterrence, where every national contribution counts, is precisely what distinguishes **NATO** from a mere alliance on paper: it's a sum of concrete commitments, verifiable country by country. ### The signal sent to Moscow For **Moscow**, every example of credible reinforcement on the southeastern flank represents an additional signal that the window of opportunity for regional escalation is progressively closing, as Western capabilities strengthen concretely rather than symbolically. It is this accumulation of signals, more than any single isolated statement, that truly shapes the **Kremlin**'s strategic calculations about its future room to maneuver. *I deeply believe deterrence is built through small verifiable bricks rather than grand speeches, and this Bulgarian visit is an almost perfect illustration of that.* ## What Western allies should take from this example ### A workable model of military communication Too often, Western defense press releases drown in technocratic jargon impossible to relay to the general public. The direct style adopted by **General Grynkewich**, with precise figures and dated goals, offers a communication model other senior **NATO** officers would do well to replicate during their own bilateral visits. This clarity of communication isn't a cosmetic detail: it strengthens the Western public's understanding of defense spending sometimes perceived as abstract or disconnected from their everyday lives. ### An invitation to document successes as much as failures Western **media**, including outlets aligned with a pro-**Ukraine** and pro-**NATO** editorial line like ours, sometimes tend to focus more on crises and diplomatic failures than on concrete successes like the one documented in **Sofia**. Correcting this imbalance, without slipping into blind propaganda, strikes me as essential to maintaining public trust in Western collective defense institutions over the long run. *I believe we underestimate how necessary it is to seriously document successes, without complacency, just as much as denouncing failures. The balance between the two makes all the difference for the credibility of defense journalism.* ## Conclusion: a letter of cautious gratitude to an ally who delivers ### What to take away from this visit This visit by **General Grynkewich** to **Bulgaria**, on **July 1 and 2, 2026**, will remain a concrete and documented example of what a determined **NATO** ally can achieve: exceeded budgetary targets, verifiable material deliveries, and strengthened regional coordination on the **Black Sea**. As the **Ankara** summit approaches, this kind of example deserves to be highlighted, not as an end in itself, but as a reminder that Western firmness remains possible when political will genuinely exists. ### What will need to keep being watched It remains to be seen whether this momentum holds in the years ahead, whether other southeastern flank countries follow this example, and whether Bulgaria's internal tensions over certain regional proposals find a constructive rather than paralyzing resolution. *I close this letter with the conviction that defense journalism has a duty to celebrate, with the same rigor it uses to denounce, allies who keep their word. Bulgaria has just earned that recognition.* **By Maxime Marquette, columnist** ## Columnist's transparency note ### Editorial stance I am not a journalist but a **columnist and analyst**. My expertise lies in observing and analysing the geopolitical, economic and strategic dynamics that shape our world. My work is to take political strategies apart, to understand global economic movements, to put the decisions of international actors in context and to offer analytical perspectives on the changes that are redefining our societies. I do not claim the cold objectivity of traditional journalism, which stops at reporting facts. **I claim analytical clarity**, rigorous interpretation and a deep understanding of the complex issues that concern us all. My role is to give meaning to the facts, to place them in their historical and strategic context, and to offer a critical reading of events. ### Method and sources This text keeps the basic distinction between **verified facts and interpretive analysis**. The rule never changes: a factual claim is published only when a verifiable source supports it, and the sources this article actually used are listed under **Sources**, never here. **Primary source families** used by the publication, when the story has them: official statements from governments and international institutions, public statements by political leaders, reports from intergovernmental organisations, dispatches from recognised international news agencies. **Secondary source families**: specialised publications, internationally recognised news media, analyses from established research institutions, reports from industry organisations. When an article cites statistical, economic or geopolitical data, it comes from the institutions that produce it (intergovernmental organisations, central banks, national statistics offices), and the exact institution is named under **Sources**. ### Nature of the analysis The analyses, interpretations and perspectives in the analytical sections of this article are a **critical, contextual synthesis** based on the information available, the trends observed and the expert comments cited in the sources consulted. My role is to interpret these facts, to set them in the context of today's geopolitical and economic dynamics, and to give them a coherent meaning within the larger story of the changes shaping our time. These analyses reflect expertise built through continuous observation of international affairs and an understanding of the strategic mechanisms that drive global actors. This article describes a documented state of affairs on its publication date, not a prediction: later developments may shift its outlook. No update is promised in advance; when an article is corrected or completed, the change is dated in the text. ## Sources ### Primary sources - [Fakti.bg — NATO's Europe chief continues his key visit to Bulgaria — July 2, 2026](https://fakti.bg/en/bulgaria/1064863-nato-s-europe-chief-continues-his-key-visit-to-bulgaria) - [BTA — NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich to visit Bulgaria — June 30, 2026](https://www.bta.bg/en/news/world/1158051-nato-supreme-allied-commander-europe-gen-alexus-grynkewich-to-visit-bulgaria) - [BTA — By end of 2026, Bulgaria will have 12 pilots capable of flying F-16 Block 70](https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1120271-by-end-of-2026-bulgaria-will-have-12-pilots-capable-of-flying-f-16-block-70-fig) ### Secondary sources - [Novinite — Romania's Joint Naval Force Proposal Leaves Bulgaria PM, President Divided](https://www.novinite.com/articles/174940/Romania) - [Brussels Times — NATO praises Bulgaria's defence strides as Black Sea tension takes centre stage — May 29, 2026](https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/2161605/nato-praises-bulgarias-defence-strides-as-black-sea-tension-takes-centre-stage) - [BNR — Two transport corridors are a priority to deploy NATO forces](https://bnr.bg/en/post/101935487/two-transport-corridors-are-a-priority-to-deploy-nato-forces) --- Source: Maxime Marquette, MadMax. When citing, name the author and link https://mad-max.co/en/article/merci-bulgarie-de-prouver-que-lotan-peut-encore-tenir-parole