Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias traveled to Sofia on Thursday at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart, Atanas Zapryanov, in a visit aimed at deepening bilateral defense ties following Greece’s rapid military response to a Bulgarian assistance request.

Last week, Bulgaria — a fellow NATO and European Union member — asked Greece for help protecting part of its territory. Athens responded by repositioning a Patriot air defense battery and a pair of F-16 fighter jets to an airbase in northern Greece, closer to the Bulgarian border.

During his visit, Dendias was received by Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. “Bulgaria is not simply a friendly country — it is a neighboring country, a partner,” Dendias said. “Greece’s prompt response to Bulgaria’s request strengthens regional security and stability, and signals the deepening of our defense cooperation, both within the EU and in the NATO framework.”

The Greek Defense Minister also referenced the broader regional picture, noting that the two sides had agreed to coordinate efforts with their Romanian counterparts as well, to address security challenges stemming from the war in Iran as swiftly as possible.

On defense industry cooperation, Dendias highlighted the EU’s SAFE Regulation — the bloc’s financing instrument for developing European defense industry capacity — as a key avenue for collaboration. “Neither of our countries is a ‘large country,'” he said, “so I believe that connecting our defense innovation ecosystems has something to offer both Greece and Bulgaria, and Europe as a whole.”

Bulgarian Prime Minister Gyurov, receiving Dendias, expressed appreciation for Athens’ support. “We value greatly the provision of military assistance during this period of crisis,” he said, describing Greece as “one of our closest allies as a neighboring country.” He added that the potential for Greek-Bulgarian cooperation extends well beyond security, encompassing transport, regional affairs and energy.