On December 9, the Atlantic Council’s International Security Program hosted an off-the-record strategy session with Svetlin Yovchev, national security advisor to Boyko Borisov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria. He was previously head of Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security and earlier he worked in the former National Security Service.

The discussion examined Bulgaria’s energy security and major projects in development. The session also addressed key transatlantic issues such as the significance of a growing protest movement in Russia, the role of NATO in Bulgaria’s national security strategy, and the impact of further US defense cuts and troop withdrawals from Europe.