Croatian PM condemns territorial concessions in Ukraine conflict
During the European Political Community summit in Budapest, Andrej Plenković firmly opposed forcing Ukraine to relinquish part of its territory in exchange for peace with Russia. He warns that such a move would set a dangerous precedent for the world.
8 November 2024 06:22
At Thursday's meeting in Budapest, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković strongly condemned the idea of Ukraine giving up part of its territory to end the war with Russia. "Ending the war by accepting the violation of international law, the killing of thousands of people, the destruction of a vast country, and a policy of fait accompli, creates a dangerous precedent for the entire world," Plenković stated during the summit.
By agreeing to these terms, we fall into the trap of the aggressor," added the Croatian Prime Minister, emphasizing the importance of upholding international standards.
His statement was a response to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who commented before the summit that "his key message would be to finally start conversations about peace, rather than continually consider who will win the war (in Ukraine)."
Plenković responded to this statement, saying: "Everyone wants peace, but not one that destroys the values we are based on." Croatia has so far provided Ukraine with military aid worth approximately $265 million CAD, according to data from the Croatian Ministry of Defence. Zagreb also offered Kyiv support in demining the country and prosecuting war criminals, using experiences gained after the war from the 1990s.
Serbia, however, refuses to join the international sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and maintains relations at the highest level with Kremlin authorities. President Vučić reminded that Belgrade has provided Kyiv with aid worth about $75 million CAD and has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky several times since the start of the Russian aggression.
Donald Trump's idea for ending the war in Ukraine
"The Wall Street Journal" indicates that the advisors of the American president-elect are considering ways to end the Russian aggression in Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2022. One possible scenario involves Russia retaining the territories it has seized so far and Ukraine committing not to join NATO for two decades.
This scenario also assumes the creation of a demilitarized zone along the entire front line. This would be established following a freeze on military actions. The American president assured that he would not send American soldiers to Ukraine. According to "The Wall Street Journal," security would be provided by Polish, German, British, and French forces.
