Bulgaria does not recognize Russia's intention to hold elections in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, said Rosen Zhelyazkov, incumbent speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria.

"Bulgaria unconditionally supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine, does not recognize any encroachments by Russia, does not recognize Russia's intention to hold elections in the occupied Ukrainian territories," Zhelyazkov said at a joint briefing with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk on Tuesday.

He stressed that Bulgaria will continue to support Ukraine in various fields, including economically supporting Ukrainian refugees who are hiding from the war in Bulgaria.

"Bulgaria will unconditionally support Ukraine on its path of integration into the European Union. We, the representatives of the three coalition parties in the Bulgarian parliament, are doing everything possible for this," Zhelyazkov said.

According to the press service of the Verkhovna Rada, Zhelyazkov and Stefanchuk discussed Ukraine's path to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Special attention was paid at the meeting to the issue of bringing the Russian Federation to international legal responsibility and the development of national legislation for the confiscation of frozen and sovereign Russian assets.

"Russian assets should be used to compensate for the consequences of Russian aggression, defense and reconstruction of Ukraine," Stefanchuk stressed.

He also noted that he expects Bulgaria's help and assistance in the process of returning illegally deported Ukrainian citizens.