OREANDA-NEWS. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised Bulgaria’s contributions to NATO in talks with the Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ekaterina Zaharieva, on Tuesday (16 May 2017).

Welcoming Minister Zaharieva to NATO headquarters for the first time since her appointment, the Secretary General thanked her for Bulgaria’s strong contributions to NATO missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as its support to partners, including Ukraine. Calling Bulgaria "a highly valued Ally", the Secretary General welcomed Sofia’s plans for increased investments in defence.

Mr. Stoltenberg and Ms. Zaharieva also discussed Black Sea security and the importance of cooperation between NATO and the European Union. They discussed preparations for the meeting of NATO leaders on 25 May, where burden sharing and NATO’s role in the fight against terrorism will top the agenda.