It is key to pursue dialogue on Ukraine crisis

The European Union believes it is key to pursue dialogue to resolve the Ukraine crisis and avoid conflict, and should a conflict arise, Russia would get new sanctions, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in Brussels on Thursday.

"The key message is: make room for negotiations, strive to de-escalate tensions, avoid conflict and possible aggression on Ukraine. That's the joint position," Plenković told reporters after an hour-long informal summit of EU leaders on the security situation in eastern Europe.

EU leaders gathered in Brussels on Thursday for a summit with leaders of the African Union. Before that, they held an informal summit on the situation in Ukraine.

There are ongoing consultations on a package of sanctions against Russia, and should a situation arise that would require such a response, it will be adopted, Plenković said.

Asked how possible sanctions against Russia would affect Croatia, he said that Croatia was concerned like all other countries.

"Over 43 per cent of the gas used in the EU comes from Russia and any escalation, including a possible response with sanctions, would cause problems with the gas supply, which is why work is ongoing on alternative solutions. All of us people of good will, who want peace and security in Europe, want to see Ukraine developing and want to cooperate with it and do not want such a situation to happen," Plenković said.

As for cooperation with Africa, Plenković said that on Friday, on his return to Zagreb, the government would adopt a decision to donate 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses. This will be an opportunity to advance relations with the African countries where Croatia has embassies, he added.

"We as the EU want to help the African continent, and Croatia as a Mediterranean country wants to promote cooperation," Plenković said.

All 27 EU leaders and more than 40 African leaders gathered for the sixth EU-Africa summit in Brussels on Thursday as the EU sought to reaffirm its influence in Africa, where China and Russia are also asserting their influence.

The EU will offer several aid packages to strengthen health services, education and stability in Africa and will pledge half of the new €300 billion Global Gateway investment plan, conceived as a counterbalance to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The EU wants to help Africa to produce 60 per cent of the vaccines it needs by 2040. Only slightly over five per cent of the medicines and one per cent of the vaccines used by 1.2 billion Africans are produced locally.  Only 10 per cent of Africans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The summit includes several thematic panels, and Prime Minister Plenković will participate in two - the panel on climate change on Thursday afternoon and the panel on cooperation in health care on Friday.

Text: Hina

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