Plenković: 15th aid package for Ukraine; We did not consider sending soldiers

The government adopted a decision on urgent aid to Ukraine at its session on Thursday, after Prime Minister Andrej Plenković participated in the 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting on Monday, where Ukraine's allied countries committed to various forms of further aid to the country.

This is the fifteenth aid package to Ukraine, specifically the donation of 100 mobile metal-cutting devices Vulkan 10 from a domestic manufacturer, as well as associated consumables, with a total estimated value of 500 thousand euros, or 625 thousand euros with VAT, as well as electromagnetic equipment that Croatia no longer uses to the Ukrainian energy company DTEK, it was explained at the government session.

“This decision approves the sending of aid to Ukraine based on a request of the Ukrainian embassy,” said Interior Minister Davor Božinović, adding that the Vulkan 10 equipment is already being used in real conditions in Ukraine.

Regarding the electromagnetic equipment, Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said that this was an expression of concrete assistance following a request from the Ukrainian embassy "given that we are witnessing the fact that numerous energy facilities and key infrastructure throughout Ukraine have been severely damaged or destroyed", and that electricity supply is being disrupted in a large part of the country.

He explained that this concerns transformers, pumps and other technical equipment that is no longer used in the Republic of Croatia.

On Monday, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Andrej Plenković participated in a meeting at the highest level of the 'Coalition of the Willing' in Paris, together with numerous European and transatlantic partners, representatives of the United States of America and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

At that meeting, the countries, each in its own way, expressed their readiness to participate in the 'Coalition of the Willing'.

“Each of the countries that were present in their own way expressed their readiness to help Ukraine,” said Plenković in the introduction to the government session, emphasizing that some of the countries are ready to send their forces to Ukraine as part of the multinational force that would be there after a ceasefire in order to preserve peace and prevent new Russian aggression on Ukrainian territory.

“As we have been saying clearly all these years, and I said it both at the meeting and later in a statement to the media, Croatia has not at any time considered sending its soldiers to Ukraine, but will continue to support Ukraine, both politically, economically, in energy and militarily,” the Prime Minister reiterated.

He also emphasized that Croatia is committed to a just and lasting peace that will respect international law, "so that Ukraine 'de iure' does not come to the position of handing over its territory to Russia."

Source: HRT