Croatian and Swiss Foreign Ministers Gordan Grlic Radman and Ignazio Cassis, who held a meeting in Dubrovnik on Friday, said that their countries support Ukraine, offer assistance in demining of that country and condemn Russia's war of aggression against that eastern European country.

Grlic Radman welcomed the Swiss initiative to organise a peace conference in June and a conference on the demining of Ukraine in October.

“Clearing the country of mines is a precondition for post-war reconstruction, and Croatia has a great experience in that. Switzerland was a country-partner of the 20th international conference on demining in Cavtat, said the Croatian minister.

The stability of the Western Balkans is in the interest of both countries, and the stability could be supported through the opening of the EU accession negotiations which Croatia strongly advocates, said he.

Regarding Croatian-Swiss relations and cooperation, Grlic Radman mentioned a few historical figures who connected the two countries in the cultural and scientific fields in the past.

Grlic Radman noted a rise in the number of Swiss travellers visiting Croatia every year.

Minister Ignazio Cassis underscored the two countries’ engagement in the demining of Ukraine and in preparations for its post-war renewal.

Croatia has a lot of experience in that. We plan to hold an international conference of heads of government on a peace process. There is no magic wand, but that is supposed to be a beginning, the Swiss minister said.

At some moment, it will be necessary to include Russia, because peace is not possible without Russia. This is a great challenge and we have Croatia’s support in that, he added.

He wrote on his X account that he and Grlic Radman “discussed the strong bilateral relations between Switzerland and Croatia, our cooperation in demining in Ukraine and the upcoming conference on peace in Ukraine, as well as recent developments in the Swiss-EU relations.”