Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic said on Friday, on the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, that the Ukrainians could count on the support and solidarity of Croatia, and that the Croats felt the obligation to stand by the Ukrainians until their victory.

“I would like to start today’s session by remembering 24 February 2022 and the start of brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine… The war came back to our continent, forcing the Ukrainians into a bloody battle for their survival,” said Jandrokovic, praising Ukrainian defenders for their strong resistance to the Russian aggressor.

The Croatian parliament responded quickly. Only a day after Russia launched the war of aggression, Croatian lawmakers unanimously adopted the Declaration on Ukraine, reaffirming Croatia’s support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, the Speaker said.

He recalled that on 25 October 2022, the parliament and the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada inaugurated  the parliamentary dimension of the International Crimea Platform.

The First Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform was held in Zagreb on 25 October and adopted the Joint Declaration supported by more than 40 states.

Jandrokovic noted that during the summit, the President of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, gave an emotional speech, comparing the fate of the destroyed Ukrainian cities such as Mariupol, Irpin and Bucha with the destruction of the Croatian cities of Vukovar, Lipik and Dubrovnik during the 1991-1995 war of independence.

Jandrokovic, however, expressed regret at the parliament’s failure to adopt a resolution on Croatia’s participation in the European Union Mission for Military Assistance to Support Ukraine (EUMAM).

During the vote on Croatia’s involvement in the training of Ukrainian soldiers on its soil, 107 MPs in the 151-seat parliament took part in the vote, with 97 voting in favour and 10 against. The resolution was not adopted because its passage required two-thirds support (101 votes). The adoption fell short of four votes, after two weeks of consultations on the matter.

Jandrokovic said that Croatia would nevertheless stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary.

“We will help and support the Ukrainians  in their just struggle for freedom,” said Jandroković promising assistance in all areas.

“We understand Ukraine’s struggle very well. That’s why the Croatians have a duty to stand by the Ukrainians and be on the right side of history,” the Speaker of the Sabor said.

The session opened with a minute of silence for all the victims in Ukraine.

Ukrainian flags were displayed on the building of the Croatian parliament and government on Friday.