EU general affairs ministers began in Brussels on Tuesday to prepare the agenda of the next EU summit due in March, and Croatia has requested that the summit discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Croatia has pointed out that it would like to see a European Council debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said the state secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Andreja Metelko-Zgombic.

She said the dangerous Ukraine situation should not overshadow the situation in BiH, which is at a key moment of talks on electoral reform aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination in the election process and ensuring the right of the constituent peoples to elect their representatives.

EU foreign ministers have discussed the Ukraine situation, which will be on the agenda of the spring summit on 24 and 25 March.

“I reiterated on Croatia’s behalf the condemnation of Russia’s recognition of two Ukrainian regions outside government control and supported the prompt adoption of a set of sanctions,” said Metelko-Zgombic.

EU foreign ministers are discussing sanctions against Russia at an extraordinary meeting in Paris.

Before it started, Croatian Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic-Radman condemned Russia’s recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

“We call on Russia to revoke the recognition and to return to Normandy Format talks. I’d like to reiterate Croatia’s full support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he said.