Croatia President issues Ukraine statement in spirit of Russian propaganda

Crimea, illegally annexed by Russia, will likely never return to Ukraine, while the efforts of Western allies to supply equipment to the nation "will only prolong the war."

This was announced by the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic, Reuters reports, according to Ukrinform.

"It is obvious that Crimea will never be part of Ukraine again," Milanovic said.

He also criticized the EU's policy towards Ukraine, noting that he does not want his country to face the "devastating" consequences of war. In particular, Milanovic spoke out against the provision of modern main battle tanks to Ukraine as it would allegedly only bring Russia and China closer together.

Read also: Newly elected Czechia president stresses importance of continued support for Ukraine

In Croatia, the president performs mainly ceremonial functions. Since taking the president’s office in February 2020, Milanovic has consistently voiced anti-European statements, sharing his views with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Also in December, Croatian lawmakers rejected a proposal for the country to join the European Union's mission to support the Ukrainian Army, revealing deep differences between Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Photo: AA