Relationship dossier
Bulgaria
United States
Relationship assessment
A substantial bilateral partnership centered on defense cooperation and NATO security.
Bulgaria toward United States
+50Bulgaria has contributed forces to U.S.-led operations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, and agreed to host U.S. forces at Bulgarian military facilities under a bilateral defense cooperation agreement. These actions reflect sustained security cooperation.
United States toward Bulgaria
+50The United States has supported Bulgaria's security through bilateral defense cooperation, including arrangements for U.S. forces to use Bulgarian military facilities, and has developed a strategic partnership with the Bulgarian government.
Overall relationship
+50The relationship is anchored by a bilateral defense cooperation agreement, U.S. access to Bulgarian military facilities, Bulgarian contributions to U.S.-led operations, and a strategic partnership. NATO cooperation reinforces these bilateral arrangements. These durable security ties outweigh potential differences in other policy areas.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Bulgaria and the United States maintain a substantial security partnership. Bulgaria has contributed forces to U.S.-led operations and, under a bilateral defense cooperation agreement, permits U.S. forces to use Bulgarian military facilities. The two governments established a strategic partnership and cooperate within NATO. The relationship is close on defense and security, though the full scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation are not clear.
Key developments
Bulgaria and the United States signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement providing for U.S. forces to use Bulgarian military facilities.
Bulgaria and the United States established a strategic partnership.
Bulgaria contributed forces to U.S.-led operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of defense cooperation arrangements may have changed over time.
- The extent of current cooperation beyond defense and security is unclear.