Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said today in Paris that Croatia will continue to help Ukraine, but will not send soldiers to the country, which is defending itself from a Russian invasion.
"It was never intended that Croatian soldiers would be deployed on the territory of Ukraine," Plenković said on the Iks network after a meeting of about 30 leaders on the topic of peace and security in Ukraine.
Plenković stated that Croatia will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to Ukraine "as a responsible member" of the European Union and NATO, especially in the areas of demining and military assistance.
He added that his government, following the announcement of strengthening European defense, will continue to invest in strengthening defense capabilities and modernizing the Croatian military, in order to guarantee Croatia's security and be able to respond to all future challenges.
Plenković wrote that "only a strong Ukraine can achieve a quality outcome of the peace negotiations, which is in the interest of both Croatia and the whole of Europe."
"Therefore, it is important that we continue to provide military, economic, humanitarian and diplomatic assistance, including sharing Croatia's experience from the process of peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube region," he said.
He reiterated that only a peace that will protect Ukraine's sovereignty, and provide it with security guarantees, can be lasting and sustainable.
"Such peace must not undermine the foundations of international law on which the international order rests. That is why Europe should be represented in the negotiations in a coordinated manner, because this is where the future security architecture of our continent is being decided," Plenković added.
Earlier today, Croatian President Zoran Milanović again ruled out the possibility of sending Croatian soldiers to Ukraine.
"A Croatian soldier will not go to Ukraine under any arrangement, that is completely out of the question," Milanović wrote on Facebook.
He added that "one should not be put in a position of self-deception."
"The Croatian Army will not go on a mission, and one of the reasons is that that mission will never happen, neither with nor without Croatia, because the basic conditions for that mission have not been met - a peace agreement and the consent of the other side, which is unfortunately Russia," Milanović said.
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