The Russian President Putin will certainly come to Croatia in this mandate, the Russian Ambassador to Croatia Anvar Azimov said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Klovićevi Dvori art gallery in Zagreb, which is preparing an exhibition about Catherine the Great, the Ambassador said that Putin’s visit must be very well prepared, and mentioned the openings of the Russian cultural centre in Croatia, and the Croatian cultural centre in Moscow, as possible occasions for the visit.

“Putin will gladly accept the invitation to visit your beautiful country,” Azimov said, adding that it was difficult to say when the Russian president’s visit would take place. “His inauguration will be in May. I am in favour of the visit, but it must be very well prepared. I think it will not be this year, maybe in the first half of the next year, but definitely in this (presidential) term.”

He said Russia was grateful to the Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović for her role in the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries.

“We have a good plan to continue our cooperation in different fields, political, economic, cultural and science. We are satisfied, we have a lot to do. Russia and Croatia are traditional partners and friends and we will try to strengthen our relations in many areas.” Azimov said.