Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded Wednesday for the EU to welcome all democratic nations of Europe, at the opening of a Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit hosted by Croatia, intended to show “the support of region to the Ukrainian people.
“If Europe is not united today, it will not be at peace. The accession processes must therefore be completed,” declared Mr. Zelensky, pleading not only for the cause of kyiv – which began accession negotiations in June, but also for that of several Balkan countries which have been waiting for years to join the EU.
Calling on Brussels to welcome “all the democratic nations of Europe, including all yours”, Mr Zelensky added that “no one in Europe needs to be reminded how important stability is for the Balkans”.
Summit of 13 countries
The Ukrainian president arrived in Croatia at midday for this 3rd summit bringing together the heads of state, government or diplomacy of 13 countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey).
He first met face to face with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, with whom an agreement on “cooperation in defense, mine clearance”, care of wounded soldiers”, cybersecurity, intelligence sharing or still the reconstruction has been signed, according to a text published on the website of the Ukrainian presidency.
“Together, we will develop cooperation between our defense industries,” greeted the Ukrainian president on X, whose troops are faced with the Russian advance on the eastern front, lacking men and weapons.
“Ukrainians continue to defend their homes with the utmost courage,” replied Mr. Plenkovic at the opening of the summit. “Supporting Ukraine is not only a question of solidarity,” he added, “it is an essential interest for the security of all of us.”
Over the past two years, Zagreb, which has sent 300 million euros in aid, mainly military, to Ukraine, has welcomed around 30,000 Ukrainian refugees, including wounded soldiers treated in Croatian hospitals, added Ms. . Plenkovic, who has visited kyiv three times since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.
Meeting with the Pope
At the end of the summit, new military cooperation should be announced, and a “Dubrovnik declaration” signed, condemning the Russian invasion, supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine, kyiv’s entry into the EU and ensuring support to the country for reconstruction once the war is over.
Mr. Zelensky’s trip, his first to Croatia, comes at a difficult time for Ukraine more than two and a half years after the Russian invasion. The Ukrainian president, who uses each trip as a platform to ask for more aid against Russia, recently regretted that the West was “dragging” deliveries of long-range missiles for his country.
After Dubrovnik, Mr. Zelensky is expected in Rome on Friday, where he will be received by the Pope at the Apostolic Palace from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. local time, according to a brief press release from the Vatican.
Meeting in Germany postponed
He should then have gone to Germany to attend an international summit on Ukraine’s defense and present “clear and concrete measures for a just end to the war.”
But after the announcement by US President Joe Biden that he would not travel to Germany due to Hurricane Milton which is due to make landfall in Florida on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, the meeting of Ukraine’s allies been pushed back.
This article was automatically published. Sources: ats / afp
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