Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Friday his government will give U.S. military aircraft and personnel until the end of June to leave Sofia Airport, after the Trump administration failed to advance visa-free travel for Bulgarian citizens.
The decision extends a current agreement by just one month. The existing deal expires at the end of May. Radev made clear the short extension was a deliberate message to Washington.
“I called for the suspension of visas for Bulgarian citizens during my conversation with the U.S. President, but I have not received a positive answer,” Radev said on May 29, according to Balkan Insight.
“While I fully understand the complexity of all the regulatory procedures, we also have our priorities, and we cannot respond positively to the request for long stays of aircraft and tankers at Sofia airport.”
Bulgaria Ties Airbase Access to Visa Dispute
He added that the one-month window would give American forces time to find another location.
“We’re extending the permission until the end of June so we can give time to our allies to reschedule and find another location,” Radev said.
The arrangement allows up to 15 U.S. military aircraft, associated equipment, and up to 500 personnel to operate from Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, also known as Vrazhdebna Air Base.
The aircraft include KC-135 Stratotankers, C-130 Hercules transports, and C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift jets.
Bulgaria’s government information service confirmed the limited extension on Friday.
Radev, whose Progressive Bulgaria party won parliamentary elections in April, spoke directly with President Trump earlier this month.
He pressed the case for Bulgaria’s inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens of participating countries to visit the United States for up to 90 days without a visa.
Bulgaria has made progress on the main sticking point. Its U.S. visa refusal rate has dropped to around 6 percent.
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The program normally requires a rate below 3 percent. Despite that improvement, no breakthrough has come from the Trump administration.
The visa issue carries real weight in Bulgaria, as many Bulgarians see the current visa requirements as outdated and insulting for a NATO ally.
Thousands travel to the U.S. each year for business, tourism, and family visits, but the process remains slow and uncertain for some.
On the military side, the U.S. presence in Sofia has supported joint training and logistics in recent months.
Earlier statements by Bulgarian defense officials said the aircraft were not positioned for potential operations against Iran.
In February and March, then-caretaker Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov described the deployments as part of routine exercises between the two countries.
American forces value military bases in Eastern Europe highly for rapid-response and support missions across NATO’s eastern flank and beyond.
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This is not the first time a smaller NATO member has pushed back on burden-sharing or reciprocal benefits, but the public linkage of military basing to tourist visas is unusually direct.
Bulgaria hosts U.S. forces under NATO agreements, but the arrangement at Sofia airport has always been presented as temporary and renewable.
In recent months, Bulgarian voters have been growing restless with what they see as one-sided alliances.
The country is solidly in the Western camp and backs Ukraine, but officials increasingly speak of expecting tangible dividends for their loyalty.
Pentagon Faces Search for Alternative Bases
For the Pentagon, losing easy access to Sofia Airport would not be catastrophic but would call for adjustments.
Alternative bases exist in Romania, Poland, and other frontline states. Still, Bulgaria’s central location and infrastructure have made it convenient for tanker and transport operations.
Bulgarian officials appear to hope the Trump administration will reconsider the visa issue before June 30. If not, U.S. forces will have to pack up and move.
Visa waiver decisions involve multiple U.S. agencies and strict security metrics. Even a willing White House cannot wave away the numbers overnight.
