Rutte Stresses Croatia's Crucial Role in Western Balkans Stability

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte highlighted Croatia's significance as a key partner in maintaining stability and security in the Western Balkans during a joint press conference with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Zagreb on Tuesday. The meeting followed a visit to Sarajevo earlier that day, which included the presence of Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.

This historic visit marked the first time in eighteen years that a Dutch prime minister set foot in the Croatian capital. Both prime ministers commended the strong political and economic ties between their nations, expressing strong support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's aspirations to join the European Union. They also reiterated their solidarity with Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Prime Minister Plenković shared insights from their visit to Sarajevo, where they encouraged reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet the prerequisites for opening EU accession negotiations in March.

"We both have the impression that the visit was extremely high-quality and useful, aiming to encourage steps in the next few weeks, enabling the Commission to present a positive report and make a decision in March," said Plenković.

Prime Minister Rutte emphasized the visit's importance, stating, "With a terrible war raging on our continent, we all have a duty to promote stability and security wherever we can. In this respect, Croatia is a key EU partner."

Rutte acknowledged the traditionally cautious stance of the Netherlands on EU enlargement but affirmed their support for the Southeast European countries' ambitions to join the bloc. Despite recent changes in the Dutch parliament, he expressed confidence that their position on EU enlargement would remain steadfast.

Prime Minister Plenković highlighted the Netherlands as one of Croatia's major trading partners and its largest investor. He expressed gratitude for Rutte's constructive support, particularly regarding Croatia's entry into the Schengen Area.

Rutte, acknowledging Croatia's valuable contributions, thanked the country for its assistance to Ukraine in demining efforts and military equipment provision. He stressed the importance of continued support for Ukraine, underscoring the need to prevent Putin from prevailing in the ongoing conflict.

Rutte also touched upon mutual interests, noting cooperation between the two nations in curbing illegal migration, affirming their commitment to addressing shared challenges.