Bulgaria has not received any request to participate in efforts to ensure the security of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky said.
Speaking in Brussels after a meeting of European foreign and energy ministers, Neynsky said discussions had focused on conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as high fuel prices.
European ministers agreed there was currently no risk to fuel supplies to Europe, although households and businesses were facing pressure from elevated prices.
“Bulgaria does not have a problem with energy supplies, at least at this stage,” Neynsky said, noting that much of the country’s energy imports arrive via alternative routes rather than through the Strait of Hormuz.
She added that the key issue for European countries was the level of fuel prices, which could require coordinated measures within the European Union.
EU ministers also reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and maintained that sanctions on Russian oil and gas should remain in place, arguing that revenues from energy exports help fund Russia’s military operations.
At the same time, European foreign ministers signalled little appetite for participating in naval efforts to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, an idea promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump amid tensions linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
The EU already operates a maritime security mission in the Red Sea, but there are currently no plans to change its mandate or redeploy it to the Strait of Hormuz, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
Ensuring the continued flow of food, fertiliser and fuel through the strategic waterway remains an urgent priority, she added.