Croatia is, according to its capabilities, continuing to militarily assist Ukraine in its efforts to resist the Russian aggression and achieve freedom, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in Munich on Saturday.

Plenkovic is participating in a security conference dominated by the war in Ukraine, a few days before the anniversary of the Russian invasion on 24 February.

“The Croatian government is continuing its military aid to Ukraine and we are helping within the framework and contents as much as Croatia can,” Plenkovic told reporters.

He added that the sustainability of unity and the sustainability of aid to Ukraine are key issues at the moment.

“It seems to me that the messages of French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are on that track,” said Plenkovic.

On Friday, Macron said that the West should increase the armament of Ukraine so that a counter-offensive by Kyiv could force Moscow to negotiate. Scholz called on the allies to join forces and deliver tanks to Ukraine.

Asked about the possible spillover of the conflict from Ukraine to the Western Balkans, Plenkovic said that for years Croatia has considered that the region needs stability which will pull the six countries from Croatia’s neighbourhood towards the EU.

“Croatia has an instrumental role in helping them on that path and creating an atmosphere for our partners to open up to enlargement,” said Plenković, who will take part in a panel on the Western Balkans later today.

On the sidelines of the conference, he had numerous bilateral meetings, among others with the High Representative in BiH Christian Schmidt, the President of the International Red Cross, the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Montenegro.