DUBROVNIK: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on Wednesday to attend a summit with Balkan leaders, seeking to secure additional military aid as Ukraine battles continued Russian aggression.
The summit, held at the Adriatic resort, is aimed at rallying regional and international support for Ukraine’s defense and its bid to join the European Union and NATO.
Zelensky’s visit comes at a crucial moment, with concerns mounting about future US support for Ukraine after the November presidential election.
He announced his arrival at the summit on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that the gathering would focus on “international efforts to bring peace closer” and cooperation regarding Ukraine’s EU and NATO aspirations.
The summit in Croatia, the third “Ukraine-Southeast Europe” summit, brought together leaders and officials from 12 Balkan and Southeast European countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Turkey.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who hosted the summit, emphasized that the entire region stands united in supporting Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
Plenkovic reaffirmed Croatia’s solidarity with Ukraine, pledging continued military aid. Croatia has provided Ukraine with 300 million euros ($329 million) in military assistance over the past two years.
However, a key international meeting planned for Saturday at Germany’s Ramstein air base, where over 50 countries were to discuss military support for Ukraine, was postponed.
The delay came after US President Joe Biden canceled his planned visit to Europe due to Hurricane Milton, which has prompted mass evacuations in Florida. The US military did not specify a new date for the meeting.
Zelensky has intensified his push for military backing from international allies, urging them to supply long-range weapons and other resources needed to counter Russia’s advantage in manpower and ammunition.
The Ukrainian president has also sought assurances of continued support amid potential challenges posed by the upcoming US presidential election, with Republican candidate Donald Trump expressing skepticism over US aid to Ukraine and defending Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the summit, leaders are expected to issue a joint declaration condemning Russian aggression, reaffirming support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and endorsing Zelensky’s peace plan. The declaration is also anticipated to push for the prosecution of war crimes in Ukraine and further Ukraine’s European integration and NATO membership.
