Both ministers highlighted the importance of solidarity and support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Zagreb as well as Warsaw belong to the group of partners who have advocated, since the very beginning, a harsh attitude towards Russia, including a broad use of sanctions supposed to induce the Kremlin to abandon its military and political goals in Central and Eastern Europe. Another matter raised during the talks was cooperation in military terms, as regards both the military support for Ukraine and collaboration within NATO for improved security in Europe.

The ministers also discussed the current situation in the Western Balkans which are facing adverse consequences of the war in Ukraine in such dimensions as economy (rising prices), energy, and increasing Russian disinformation. Poland and Croatia agree that European integration of the region’s countries is the only way to ensure security, prosperity and stability in this part of the continent. The top diplomats also announced that support for the Western Balkan countries’ European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations would be continued, and expressed willingness to further share the knowledge and experiences gained during the pre-accession period.

Additionally, Minister Rau commented on Polish-Croatian collaboration in regional formats. He noted that, thanks to Poland’s and Croatia’s shared efforts, the Three Seas Initiative has become a leading form of cooperation in our region and a message how to build a strong European Union through its Central European dimension. The Initiative has promoted the construction of LNG terminals in Świnoujście and on the island of Krk, which, thanks to our understanding of threats posed by Russia, has significantly strengthened the resilience of our countries and this part of Europe against Moscow’s resource blackmail.

Last year, Poland and Croatia celebrated the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. In recent years, multidimensional bilateral cooperation has been systematically growing, as evidenced by the development of economic relations which have risen over sixfold since 2004, and approached the level of EUR 2 billion in 2022. Moreover, Croatia remains one of the most popular destinations for Polish tourists.

 

 Łukasz Jasina

MFA Spokesperson

 

Photos: Sebastian Indra / MFA