The 3rd Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit was held in Dubrovnik yesterday. On this occasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first official visit to Croatia, and the summit gathered leaders and numerous officials from Southeast European countries.
The summit participants adopted a joint "Dubrovnik Declaration," which was negotiated during the event. The declaration provides further support to Ukraine, which has been facing Russian aggression for over two and a half years.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also signed a bilateral cooperation agreement between Croatia and Ukraine, which includes elements of humanitarian aid, demining, and prosecuting war crimes.
This summit in Dubrovnik was the third of its kind. The first summit took place in Athens in August 2022, and the second in Tirana in February 2024.
A memorial hall dedicated to the defenders of Croatia’s independence. Together with Prime Minister @AndrejPlenkovic, we honored the warriors who defended Dubrovnik. It is important to preserve the memory of the heroes who fought for freedom.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2024
I thank Croatia for respecting our… pic.twitter.com/zp2cpXAmpW
Among the participants were Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Krišto, North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, and the Foreign Ministers of Moldova, Turkey, and Romania: Mihai Popșoi, Hakan Fidan, and Luminița Odobescu.
Dubrovnik Summit Declaration: There is no free Europe without a free Ukraine
The declaration concluded that without a free and peaceful Ukraine, there can be no free and peaceful Europe. It condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and expresses support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, European integration, and NATO membership.
"Almost 1,000 days have passed since the beginning of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. We strongly condemn this unprovoked, unjustified, and illegal Russian war of conquest against Ukraine... a crime against the Ukrainian people, a clear violation of international law... and a great threat to peace and security in Southeast Europe, the entire European continent, and the world," the declaration states.
Support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders remains "absolute," according to the declaration's text.
"The path to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine can only be based on international law... We reaffirm our support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace formula as a key framework for restoring such peace," participants emphasized.
The declaration also calls on the international community to increase its support for Ukraine and "all countries to refrain from providing material or other assistance to Russia's war of conquest."
Participants condemned and declared "Russia's attempts to forcibly and illegally annex Ukrainian territory" during the elections Moscow held in occupied Ukrainian regions in March and September as "null and void."
The declaration welcomes the opening of accession negotiations between the European Union and Ukraine, as well as NATO's commitment at the Washington Summit to "provide support to Ukraine on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership."
Unquestionable commitment
"We reaffirm our strong commitment to bringing to justice those responsible for the crime of aggression, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed during Russia's war of conquest," the declaration states.
Ukraine appreciates all support from Croatia, including assistance for the children of our defenders, who have the opportunity to improve their health in Croatia.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2024
Together with Prime Minister of Croatia @AndrejPlenkovic, we met with the children currently undergoing recreation.… pic.twitter.com/mofJBhgRdd
The Dubrovnik Summit also emphasized the critical importance of Ukraine's energy security, as its "power plants and energy grid suffer enormous damage due to Russia's systematic and deliberate attacks."
"We also stress that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear facilities must be safe, secure, and environmentally sustainable. In this context, we emphasize that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant must be returned to full sovereign control of Ukraine and operate safely," the declaration highlights.
Participants expressed their commitment to participating in Ukraine's current and post-war reconstruction "to ensure its prosperous future."
