President Trump will host the Bulgarian prime minister at the White House later this month, the White House announced Friday.
Trump and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov will meet at the White House on Nov. 25, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement Friday. The two leaders plan to discuss security in the Black Sea region, energy and „countering malign influence,“ Grisham said.
The visit will mark Borissov’s first to the White House during the Trump administration.
“The United States and Bulgaria are NATO Allies and the President looks forward to discussing ways to strengthen the two nations’ common security interests, especially in ensuring stability in the Black Sea region, facilitating energy diversification, and countering malign influence threatening Bulgaria’s sovereignty,” Grisham said.
“President Trump looks forward to Prime Minister Borissov’s visit and celebrating the ties that underpin the bilateral relationship,” Grisham added.
When Trump gets it right
November 8, 2019
By Iveta Cherneva
President Trump is criticized for many things but his choice of a US Ambassador to Bulgaria should not be among them. He got that right and he deserves credit for it.
The new US Ambassador to Bulgaria, Herro Mustafa speaks nine languages and to someone with seven languages like myself that is massively impressive. She is currently learning Bulgarian, which will be her tenth language. How many US officials like that do you know?
Mustafa grew up with an intellectual role model in North Dakota. Her father was an investigative reporter, so in Bulgaria she wishes to champion media freedom, and for a reason. For that, she has met local Bulgarian support and is already making friends.
The Ambassador’s background and experience in Middle East politics acquired while she served in the Office of the Vice President, the Afghanistan Office, the Office of the Under-Secretary for Political Affairs and at the National Security Council, in addition to her diplomatic postings to Iraq, Greece and Lebanon, prepare her for her role in Bulgaria which is somewhat special when it comes to Middle East politics.
Bulgaria is not actively diplomatically involved in conflict resolution but nevertheless is strategically positioned as the EU external border country that is closest to the Middle East. The return of some ISIS fighters with EU passports from Middle East terrorism hot-beds will necessarily pass through Bulgaria as a gateway to the EU. And President Trump has been adamant that European nations with ISIS fighters need to take responsibility for them. What happens to ISIS fighters when they enter the EU for the first time – possibly in Bulgaria – is a key question. In this sense, Bulgaria’s function and the role of the US Ambassador will be key.
This was my first thought when I saw Ambassador Mustafa’s experience. It seems like Mr. Trump appreciated Bulgaria’s strategic role when appointing to the country exactly her.
Of course, apart from the hot-button issues there is a lot to be said about energy security and cooperation between the US and Bulgaria. Judging from her first meetings here, energy security will be a priority area for the Ambassador.
The US Embassy in Sofia has been traditionally involved in the area of cultural and educational exchange. And that is something that is appreciated by many local Bulgarians who have benefited from language programs, and not only.
It remains to be seen what Ambassador Mustafa’s long-term contribution will be to US-Bulgarian relations. She and her family with two young children are still settling in.
From first impressions though, it seems like Donald Trump made the right decision.
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2019/11/08/when-trump-gets-it-right/