Radev stops army stockpile supplies
Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced on November 14 that Bulgaria will no longer supply weapons or ammunition from its army stockpiles to Ukraine. This decision restates a position Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced in June after Radev won an outright majority in April. Bulgaria faces an excessive deficit and must meet a 3% limit. The European Commission expects Bulgaria’s deficit to reach 4.1% this year. Radev’s draft 2027 budget targets 3.5%, and the government expects to return to the 3% limit in 2029. Bulgaria will also stay out of military exercises organised by the Coalition of the Willing, because Radev wrote that such missions "undermine the unity of the EU and Nato". While Sofia will not block other EU members from funding Kyiv, Radev said Bulgaria cannot take on extra financial commitments. Bulgaria continues to provide electricity and help repair the power system and railway infrastructure.
Budgetary constraints in Poland and the EU
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte on November 13 that Poland will not contribute to the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List for now. Tusk said Poland has a large deficit and spends heavily on defence. The PURL scheme, which Donald Trump and Mark Rutte launched on July 14, 2025, aims to meet a $15bn target for this year, but alliance diplomats report that allies have only provided $9bn so far. This funding gap is significant because allies are €7bn short of the €70bn military aid promised for 2026. Poland’s defence spending accounts for 4% to 5% of its GDP, and S&P Global Ratings forecasted a 7.1% general government deficit for Poland in both 2026 and 2027. This refusal to fund the program is a blunt reality of high security costs.
| Financial Figure | Amount/Value |
|---|---|
| NATO PURL target for this year | $15bn |
| NATO PURL funds provided so far | $9bn |
| Total 2026 military aid pledge | €70bn |
| Bulgaria’s projected deficit this year | 4.1% of GDP |
| Poland’s forecasted 2026 deficit | 7.1% of GDP |
Ukraine’s foreign ministry confirmed on October 30 that Poland is preparing to hand over two Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters in exchange for Ukrainian counter-drone technology. On November 10, the two countries also agreed to set up joint working groups on drones and counter-drone systems. These transfers follow requests from Kyiv for a share of PAC-2 and PAC-3 Patriot stocks because interceptor missiles are running dry. Allies will discuss these deliveries at a Nato meeting on November 17.
