Proposals that the Ukrainian leadership should cede parts of the country in exchange for peace are very dangerous for the entire world and international relations, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in Budapest on Thursday.

“If the logic behind this is that this would end the conflict, and we say that we accept the violation of international law, the killing of hundreds of thousands of people and the destruction of a large European country, and everyone stays where they are, then this sets a dangerous precedent that is dangerous for international relations,” said Plenkovic, who was attending a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC), which discussed, among other things, Russia’s war against Ukraine and the challenges to European security.

Vucic: Peace is more important than who wins

“If we accept this, where will it end? We will practically end the conflict and Russian aggression by favouring the aggressor,” said Plenkovic and wondered where Croatia would be today if it had been asked to give up a quarter or a third of its occupied territory.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said before the EPC summit that the peace is more important than who wins.

“My main message today will be to finally start talks on a truce, not on who will win, but on how to achieve a peace that will benefit the whole world and Europe,” Vucic said.

Plenkovic said that everyone wants peace and no one wants war, but one cannot accept any kind of peace that would “negate everything we stand for.”

He recalled that a memorandum was signed in Budapest in 1994 in which Ukraine ceded its nuclear arsenal in return for guarantees from the permanent members of the UN Security Council for its territorial integrity and security.

Plenkovic also said that he had the impression that the European heads of state and government were taking a pragmatic view of Donald Trump’s election as US President.

Plenkovic: Relations between Croatia and the USA are better than ever before

“Everyone has congratulated him and everyone wants to develop transatlantic relations on the same basis. We want to promote our global goals both within NATO and bilaterally,” he said.

“There are no worries and no fears, but a very prudent cooperation in which we rely on our strong elements – a Union of 440 million people, developed democracies and economies that have gone through many crises and for many years have wanted to cooperate with America as a global leader on the basis of their common values and contribute to the resolution of many crisis situations,” Plenkovic said.

With regard to relations between Croatia and the USA, Plenkovic said they were better than ever before.

“During our term in office, we have solved the most important problem with America, namely the lifting of visa requirements for Croatian citizens. Our cooperation in the defence sector is at the highest possible level, cooperation in the energy and economic sectors is excellent, there is investment in tourism and so on,” said Plenkovic.

He also recalled the signing of the agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and added that he expected it to be ratified by the USA soon.

Plenkovic pointed out that Croatia plans to organise a Three Sees Initiative summit in 2026.

“We will use this and all other multilateral formats to promote relations with the United States. There is no doubt that the area of cooperation between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas can help Croatia in terms of its competitiveness and investments,” said Plenkovic.