During the Ukraine-South East Europe Summit in Tirana (Albania) on 28 February, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, known for his support for Russia, and emphasized the importance of Serbia’s participation in the implementation of Ukraine’s Peace Formula.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy first presented Ukraine’s Peace Formula in his video address to the G20 summit in November 2022. The Ukrainian peace plan comprises ten key points, including the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the entire territory of Ukraine (Crimea included).
“I emphasized the importance of Serbia’s participation in implementing Ukraine’s Peace Formula. We coordinated further contacts to expand global support for the formula. Informed President Vučić about the current situation at the front,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy said he thanked Vučić for Serbia’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, for the humanitarian and financial support provided, and for the shelter for Ukrainians who decided to move to Serbia after the outbreak of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić during the Ukraine – South East Europe Summit in Tirana (Albania). https://t.co/4hMHDVmR6m
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 28, 2024
According to Zelenskyy, he also discussed “political and security challenges in Eastern Europe” with the Serbian President. At the same time, Vučić said that he insisted on excluding references to sanctions against Russia from the final declaration of the summit.
At the end of the Ukraine-South East Europe Summit, the leaders of 11 countries signed a joint declaration. The leaders of the following countries signed the declaration:
- President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani
- President of Moldova Maia Sandu
- President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović
- President of Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski
- President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić
- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama
- Chairwoman of the Bosnian Council of Ministers Borjana Krišto
- Prime Minister of Bulgaria Nikolai Denkov
- Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković
- Prime Minister of Romania Ion-Marcel Ciolacu.
According to the declaration, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remains “the greatest threat to the European security and international peace.” According to the declaration, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remains “the greatest threat to European security and international peace.” All signatories to the declaration, including the President of Serbia, reiterated their “unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders as of 1991” and called on “the whole international community to strongly increase support to Ukraine” to help Ukraine repel the ongoing Russian invasion. All signatories to the declaration fully supported “Ukraine’s right to choose its own security arrangements.”
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