Plenković: The crimes in Bucha deserve punishment and we will demand that responsibility

On the anniversary of the liberation of the Ukrainian city of Bucha, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, together with Moldovan President Sandu, Slovak Prime Minister Heger and Slovenian Prime Minister Golob, visited Ukraine. He attended the commemoration for the victims of Russia's aggression, laid a wreath in front of the Wall of Remembrance for those who died for Ukraine, met with the Ukrainian state leadership and participated in the "Bucha - Russia's responsibility for crimes in Ukraine" summit.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković arrived in Kyiv this morning, where he met with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmihal and the President of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefančuk. With him is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans, Tomo Medved, as well as the Croatian Ambassador to Ukraine, Anica Djamić.
 
This is Prime Minister Andrej Plenković's second visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian aggression on February 24, 2022. In May of last year, Prime Minister Plenković met in Kyiv with the Ukrainian state leadership, and visited Irpin and Bucha, where he personally witnessed the consequences of the terrible destruction in which a large number of Ukrainian people died.
 
Prime Minister Plenković laid a wreath in front of the Wall of Remembrance in Kyiv for those who died for Ukraine.
 
Together with Ukrainian President Zelensky, Moldovan President Sandu, Slovak Prime Minister Heger and Slovenian Prime Minister Golob, he participated in the commemoration for the victims of Russia's aggression in Bucha and paid tribute to the heroes who gave their lives in defence of Ukrainian freedom and democracy.
 
Ukraine is fighting for true values, with the unprecedented solidarity of the international community
 
"On this occasion, we remember the horrors that the Russian army committed here in Bucha at the very beginning of the aggression against Ukraine," Prime Minister Plenković said, noting that this was his second visit to Bucha, after last year's, which took place only a few days after the Ukrainian forces liberated that city.
 
Emphasizing that the crimes committed in Bucha clearly show the nature of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, he added that this may not have been clear to some in the international community at the very beginning.
 
"It was clear to us in Croatia. We immediately knew that the goal of the aggression was the spread of evil, fear and an attempt to conquer Ukrainian territory. However, it did not succeed because the Ukrainian leadership, the Ukrainian army and police, and the Ukrainian people showed the whole world what it means to be a patriot, fighting for your people and doing it successfully," Prime Minister Plenković said.
 
In the fight for the values we all share, Prime Minister Plenković added, Ukraine has unprecedented solidarity from the international community.
 
"The international community will continue to support Ukraine because Ukraine is fighting for true values, territorial integrity and the liberation of those territories that are currently under Russian occupation," he emphasized and added that support for Ukraine through diplomatic, technical, military and humanitarian assistance will continue in the future.
 
All those who committed crimes must be punished for it
 
Prime Minister Plenković pointed out that the crimes committed deserve punishment and added that the international community will demand that responsibility.
 
"Today is an opportunity to say very clearly that all those who committed crimes must pay for it," he said.
 
After the commemoration, the Prime Minister met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and welcomed his initiative to warn of war crimes and numerous tragedies and atrocities that occurred during the Russian aggression against Ukraine on the anniversary of the liberation of Bucha.
 
In a joint press statement by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the importance of continued support for Ukraine was emphasized.
 
Prime Minister Plenković emphasized the need for permanent and stable military assistance from the democratic world, because without it Ukraine will not be able to defend itself.
 
President Zelenski thanked the president of Moldova and the prime ministers of Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia for attending the summit. 

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