We continue to provide concrete support where our knowledge and experience can be of greatest benefit

By laying flowers, European leaders gathered in Kiev paid tribute to the Ukrainian defenders and all the innocent victims who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of Ukraine.

On that occasion, Prime Minister Plenković emphasized that this is a day of remembrance, identity, continuity and perseverance that reminds us of the time when Ukraine became part of the broader European Christian and cultural tradition.

This legacy has survived through centuries of wars and attempts to deny Ukraine its identity and place in history, he added.

"But as we witness today, those attempts have failed. Ukrainian statehood is a continuation of a long historical journey rooted in the determination of your people. Today, we see this truth across Ukraine: in the soldiers who defend your country, in the teachers who educate your children despite the air raid sirens, in the doctors and volunteers who care for those in need, and in the families who, despite everything, have preserved their determination and hope," said the Prime Minister, expressing deep respect for every fallen soldier and all civilian victims, as well as condolences to their families.

We understand the scale of the aggression and the injustice that Ukraine is experiencing

Emphasizing that Croatia understands the scale of the aggression that Ukraine is experiencing, he added that this is not only because we are nations connected by a common history, but also because our country found itself in a similar situation 35 years ago and therefore we recognize injustice when we see it, and what has been happening in Ukraine for so long is a clear, undeniable and grave injustice.

Ukraine did not inflict this injustice on itself, and Europe did not cause it, said Prime Minister Plenković, adding that there is no other possible explanation for this other than the simple and tragic fact that the largest country on earth, Russia, simply wanted more territory for itself.

But, he emphasized, the Ukrainians decided differently, and Europe and the world stood by Ukraine and will continue to do so.

Telling the gathered at St. Michael's Square that statehood is not a gift of fate and does not happen by itself, the Prime Minister recalled the words of the great Ukrainian, born in Kharkiv, writer Ivan Bahryany: "You can grind the body into powder, but no one can grind the soul into powder. He is mistaken who came with fire and iron to dictate his will."
 
"Let this day remind you of the strength of your roots and the promise of your future. Long live a free, sovereign and European Ukraine. Long live the friendship between the Croatian and Ukrainian peoples. Slava Ukrajini!", were the words with which he concluded his speech on the occasion of the Statehood Day of Ukraine.

Strong support for Ukraine's European path

Following the ceremony marking Ukraine's Statehood Day, the 5th Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit was held, which highlighted the continuation of strong political, military, economic and humanitarian support for Ukraine, as well as support for the European Union's sanctions against Russia.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stressed that all European counties represented in this forum support Ukraine in its just defense against illegal Russian aggression.

Speaking about the further enlargement of the European Union, the Prime Minister stated that a positive attitude towards further enlargement has been noticeable among the member states in recent times, and added that this moment should be seized.

He recalled that Croatia and Ukraine have a bilateral agreement, signed by him and President Zelensky in December 2021, on strong support for Ukraine's membership in the EU.

We believe that the political circumstances now allow the opening of the first negotiating cluster, especially after the changes in the Hungarian government, which previously completely unjustifiably stopped the process.

"We believe that the merit-based approach should be maintained because it is the only guarantee that those who join the European Union will truly be ready for membership," stressed Prime Minister Plenković.

He added that Ukraine is a large country with a strong administration that has done a lot of work in recent years, and that Croatia also sent its experts to Ukraine during that period, given that our knowledge of the accession process is the most up-to-date.

PM expressed hope that this dynamic will also accelerate for other countries in the process.

Ukraine is a leader in drone production, and the partnership with the EU also strengthens the European defense industry

Prime Minister Plenković also commented on the announcements of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen about the joint production of drones by the European Union and Ukraine.

He said that Ukraine has made spectacular progress in drone production in the past four and a half years, and with the production of 10 million drones per year, it has become a leader.

“This is a good opportunity to strengthen Ukrainian defense capabilities, and at the same time strengthen the European defense industry," said Prime Minister Plenković.

He added that one of the Croatian companies, which is already contractually linked to Ukrainian partners, is present in that market, and speaking about the broader partnership between Ukraine and Croatia in the defense industry, he also mentioned cooperation in the production of unmanned mine clearance vehicles.

There are, first and foremost, Orqa and DOK-ING, which have been cooperating with Ukrainian companies for years, he said, and especially after DOK-ING's partnership with Germany's Rheinmetall, this cooperation may be broader in the future, he added.

The key is to ensure a just peace and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine

Speaking about achieving a just peace, Prime Minister Plenković stressed that the key is to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

"If we give in to these fundamental principles, then the policy of the stronger will prevail anywhere in the world," he warned.

It is important to create the preconditions for a ceasefire and for lasting peace in order to gradually activate the existing mechanisms of the international community, he said, highlighting the example of the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube region as an experience that can certainly help Ukraine later.

Plenković and Zelensky confirm excellent cooperation and continued support of Croatia for Ukraine

After the summit, Prime Minister Plenković also had a bilateral meeting with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, at which regular dialogue and excellent cooperation were confirmed.

The Croatian Government will continue to strongly support Ukraine, which, by resisting Russian aggression for four and a half years, has been defending its freedom, but also the security of the whole of Europe, the Prime Minister said on that occasion.

“With continuous political, economic, energy and military support, we will continue to help Ukraine by sharing our experience from the Homeland War, including humanitarian demining, processing war crimes, caring for war veterans and the peaceful reintegration of occupied territories. We are also focusing on further intensification of cooperation between the Croatian and Ukrainian defense industries," he pointed out.

They also discussed additional sanctions measures by the European Union with the aim of creating additional pressure on Russia, as well as international efforts to achieve peace and provide security guarantees in the event of an armistice agreement.

The Prime Minister congratulated President Zelensky on the progress Ukraine made in the accession process after the opening of the first two negotiating clusters.

"We believe that Ukraine deserves a clear European perspective and we will insist on that together," he said.
 
Strengthening cooperation between Croatia and Moldova

Prime Minister Plenković also met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Kiev today, and the talks highlighted joint efforts aimed at further strengthening political and economic cooperation between the two countries.

"We support Moldova's progress on its European path and share Croatia's experiences from the European Union accession process. We expressed our support for President Sandu's reform efforts and wished the new government much success in its mandate," Prime Minister Plenković emphasized.