Zelensky arrives in Croatia to join summit with Balkan countries

On October 9, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Croatia to meet with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and take part in the third "Ukraine – Southeast Europe" summit, which will be held in Dubrovnik.

N1, referring to sources in the Croatian government, and the head of the Ukrainian state reported that.

As Zelensky pointed out, he will be discussing with Prime Minister Plenković the ongoing defense partnership, the rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers injured on the front lines, and the reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.

It is also expected that on the sidelines of the conference in Dubrovnik, Plenković and Zelensky will sign an agreement on cooperation between Croatia and Ukraine. This agreement will formalize the current activities between the two countries, particularly in the fields of humanitarian aid, demining, and investigation of war crimes.

^{Photo: Telegram / Zelensky / Official}

According to the sources, the agreement will solidify the long-term provision of assistance from Croatia to Ukraine.

^{Photo: Telegram / Zelensky / Official}

According to the Ukrainian leader, the summit in the format "Ukraine plus 12 countries" will discuss "international efforts to bring peace and the implementation of the Peace Formula, our joint response to security challenges with our partners, as well as cooperation on the way to the European Union and NATO."

^{Photo: Telegram / Zelensky / Official}

According to the Croatian edition, the summit in Dubrovnik will be the third in this format:

• the first was held in Athens in August 2022,
• the second – in Tirana in February 2024.

The purpose of the meeting of the Balkan countries is to demonstrate the solidarity and support of the countries of Southeast Europe to Ukraine, which has been resisting Russian aggression for more than two and a half years.

According to a source in the Croatian government, high-ranking officials from 12 Balkan countries, including three heads of state, five prime ministers, and four foreign ministers, are expected to attend the meeting together with Zelensky and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

• In particular, the following presidents will be present at the summit:

• Nataša Pirc Musar from Slovenia,
• Jakov Milatović from Montenegro,
• Vjosa Osmani from Kosovo.

• In addition, the following will join the meeting, including prime ministers:

• Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece,
• Dimitar Glavchev from Bulgaria,
• Edi Rama from Albania,
• Hristijan Mickoski from North Macedonia,
• Borjana Kristo from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Foreign ministers will represent Türkiye, Serbia, Romania, and Moldova. The summit will also be attended by:

• Vice President of the European Commission Dubravka Šuica;
• OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann.

At the summit, the attendees are anticipated to agree on a joint declaration, the specific wording of which is currently under debate. However, it will align with the declarations made at the two previous summits.

The key points of the declaration include:

• condemnation of Russia's aggression;
• reaffirmation of support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, including the Crimean Peninsula;
• support for Zelensky's peace plan;
• urging for an investigation into war crimes in Ukraine;
• supporting Ukraine's membership aspirations in the EU and NATO;
• backing the country's energy security and post-war reconstruction.