Kyiv condemns the Croatian president for saying that Crimea will not return to Ukraine
KYIV, Jan 31 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s foreign ministry criticized Croatian President Zoran Milanovic on Tuesday for declaring that Crimea would never return to Ukrainian control, describing his comment as “unacceptable”.
Russia seized the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, and Kyiv has said it will not give up efforts to regain control of the region.
In statements on Monday detailing his objection to Zagreb providing military aid to Kiev, Milanovic said it was “clear that Crimea will never again be part of Ukraine.”
“We consider the statements of the Croatian president unacceptable, which cast doubt on the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” wrote on Facebook the spokesman of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleg Nikolenko.
In the same statement, Nikolenko thanked the Croatian government and people for their support to Ukraine since the Russian invasion last February. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković openly supported Ukraine.
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“We greatly appreciate and thank the Government of Croatia and the Croatian people for their unwavering support to the Ukrainians in the fight against Russian aggression,” wrote Nikolenko.
Reporting by Dan Peleschuk Editing by Timothy Heritage
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