Zagreb - "We want the war to end as soon as possible, but we need a just peace that will guarantee security for Ukraine and Europe," Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in the Croatian Parliament on Wednesday.
"We want the war to end as soon as possible, but under fair conditions that will ensure security for Ukraine and all Europeans. You understand our aspirations very well because your country fought for freedom for a long time. You have demonstrated an astonishing pace of growth and serve as an inspiring example for us," Shmyhal said while addressing Croatian MPs and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
Shmyhal, who has been Ukraine's prime minister since March 2020, said that Ukraine is fighting in line with NATO standards, has built up drone production from scratch, and knows how to stand up to Russia.
He repeatedly thanked Croatia for its support from the very first day of Russia's aggression.
"I want to thank the people, parliament, and government of Croatia for standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in the fight against the evil that threatens all of us," Shmyhal said. He quoted the timeless words of Ante Starčević: "Only with independence can nations, lands, and cities flourish."
Shmyhal recalled that Zagreb hosted the International Donors' Conference on Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine in October 2023 and expressed gratitude that "67 Croatian machines are already clearing our country of Russian mines."
The Ukrainian prime minister also thanked the Sabor for adopting a declaration on Ukraine just one day after Russia's invasion and for recognising in June 2023 the 1932-1933 Holodomor as a genocide against the Ukrainian people.
At the end of his speech, he expressed confidence in Ukraine's victory.
"We are fighting for a free Ukraine, a free Croatia, and a free Europe. We will surely win. Glory to Ukraine. Long live Croatia," Shmyhal said.
Ukraine is crucial for Europe
Shmyhal invited Croatia to invest "in a new energy system in Ukraine, where renewable sources will play a key role".
He also pointed out that Ukraine's gas storage facilities have a total capacity of 31 billion cubic meters and suggested that Croatia and European partners could store their gas there.
The Ukrainian prime minister noted that Ukraine possesses most of the critical raw materials needed by Europe, such as lithium, graphite, and cobalt.
He emphasised that Ukraine currently feeds 400 million people worldwide and could increase that number to 600 million in the future, which, he believes, would help "reduce migration pressure on Europe".
Before addressing the MPs, Shmyhal met with Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković.
Jandroković said that Croatia will continue providing concrete humanitarian, financial, and technical support to Ukraine, as well as military equipment, and will remain a strong advocate of Ukraine's European path.
He also expressed confidence that the two countries will cooperate on the reconstruction of Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructure, an area where certain Croatian companies could make a significant contribution.
Since the beginning of the war, visits by high-ranking Ukrainian officials to Croatia have intensified. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first visit to Croatia in October 2024, attending the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Dubrovnik. Eight months after the start of Russia's invasion, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, participated in the first Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform in Zagreb.