Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic arrived in Kyiv on Friday morning, where he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Denis Shmihal and the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, the government announced.

Along with him, the delegation includes the Deputy Prime Minister and War Veterans Minister Tomo Medved, as well as the Croatian Ambassador to Ukraine, Anica Djamic.

As announced, Plenkovic – together with Zelensky, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob – will participate in the summit meeting in Kyiv called “Bucha – Russia’s responsibility for crimes in Ukraine”, on the occasion of the anniversary of the liberation of Bucha.

Afterwards, a joint press conference will be held.

Plenkovic will attend the commemoration for the victims of Russian aggression, with the ceremony of raising the flag of Ukraine, as well as the awarding of state decorations to Ukrainian veterans. Plenkovic will also lay a wreath in front of the Wall of Remembrance for those who died for Ukraine, the government announced.

This is Plenkovic’s second visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian aggression on February 24, 2022. In May of last year, Plenkovic met with the Ukrainian state leadership in Kyiv, and he visited Irpin and Bucha, where he personally witnessed the consequences of the terrible destruction in which a large number of people died.

As announced, the Croatian government has been consistent and clear in its strong support for Ukraine and its condemnation of Russian aggression since its beginning. We continue to provide political, diplomatic, economic, military, technical and humanitarian assistance and strongly advocate for the European path of Ukraine, its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and the reintegration of the occupied territories.

“Croatia shows its solidarity with the Ukrainian people by accepting and taking care of Ukrainian refugees. From the very beginning of the Russian aggression, Croatia has been involved in activities related to ensuring responsibility for the crimes committed in Ukraine, which is also the topic of the summit meeting in Kyiv,” it was announced.

In addition to supporting the activities of the International Criminal Court, exchanging experiences with Ukrainian prosecutors, and participating in a group of countries considering the establishment of a special court for the prosecution of crimes of aggression, Croatia also emphasises the importance of timely collection of evidence for future criminal trials, it is stated.