Ukraine and Croatia conclude agreement on cooperation in the defence sector

The agreement was signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Croatian Prime Minister Andriy Plenkovic during Zelensky's visit to the Balkan country.

This came just before the opening of the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit, which aims to show the region's support for Kiev.

Zelensky met with Plenkovic at midday. They discussed defence cooperation, demining, care for wounded soldiers and signed an agreement on long-term cooperation and support.

"Together we will develop cooperation between our defense industries," the Ukrainian president wrote on the social network X.

"Croatia brings to Ukraine its unique experience in demining, war crimes trials, care for veterans and our experience in the process of joining the European Union," Plenkovic said in turn.

Over the past two years, Zagreb has sent 300 million euros in aid to Ukraine, mostly military, added the Croatian prime minister, who has visited Kiev three times since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

The two are expected at the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit in Dubrovnik, where they will meet the heads of state, prime ministers or foreign ministers of 12 countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey).

There, new military cooperation is expected to be announced and a "Dubrovnik Declaration" signed, condemning the Russian invasion, supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity, Kiev's entry into the EU and guaranteeing support for the country's post-war reconstruction. | BGNES