Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Tuesday addressed the Ukrainian Parliament via video link, saying that Croatia "firmly stands by Ukraine" and calling out Russia for being "the only country responsible for the current global crisis," state news agency Hina said.

“Justice and truth are on your side. Croatia firmly stands by you in solidarity since the first day of the aggression,” Hina cited Plenkovic as telling members of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada.

Plenkovic warned that Russia’s intentions for a “violent, unlawful, and indefensible” changing of borders is “an external manifestation of an authoritarian regime that showed its real face to Europe and the world.”

“This policy was met with resistance before and after 24 February this year by Ukraine, which wishes to preserve its national identity and state. The policy pursued by Moscow was also met with a united response from the free and democratic world, which resolutely wants to defend the principles which we all share,” said Plenkovic.

“Croatia will never recognize Russia’s annexation of the four occupied Ukrainian regions, just as it has never recognized the earlier annexation of Crimea… Croatia is outraged by the brutal attacks and shocked by mass killings, arbitrary executions, arrests, torture, forcible disappearances, and deportations… The truth is that Russia is the only one responsible for the global crisis it has provoked,” he added.

“Croatia has sent military, humanitarian and technical assistance to Ukraine, we have received 22,000 Ukrainian refugees, and have enabled over 600 school-age Ukrainian children and veterans to have holidays on our coast… Granting EU candidate status to Ukraine is not only proof of unity and political resolve of the EU at the time of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine but also serves as recognition for the young, dynamic, and assertive Ukrainian democracy,” Hina cited him as saying.

“The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, thanked Plenkovic for the support which the Croatian government and nation have offered Ukraine,” Hina reported.