The Ukraine – South East Europe Summit was held in the “Ukraine+12” format in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. The event became the third such forum. The inaugural one was held in Athens in August 2023 and the second – in Tirana on February 28, 2024.
The Dubrovnik summit was primarily intended to express support for the unity of the countries across the region in their support for Ukraine. And that’s exactly what happened despite all regional disputes and difficulties.
The city factor
Dubrovnik had seriously invested in preparations for the Ukraine – South East Europe Summi. The city has practically turned into a fortress guarded from land, sea, and air. Residents and visitors had to put up with a wide range of temporary restrictions and bans that remained in effect throughout the event. Similar security measures were imposed only during the visits by Pope John Paul II and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in 2003 and 2006, respectively. However, the arrival of the president of a country at war has become an even greater challenge for Croatian security agencies.
In the end, everything went well, with no incidents recorded. Also, as President Volodymyr Zelensky’s went for short walk through the city’s historic Old Town, he heard rounds of applause from locals and tourists, along with the “Glory to Ukraine” chants, which apparently sent the Ukrainian leader some positive vibes.
Given that it was Zelesnky’s first visit to Croatia, the organizers likely sought to impress the Ukrainian president with Dubrovnik and its history, especially modern one. Therefore, the visit’s agenda included a visit to the memorial hall honoring the memory of city defenders, while Mayor Mato Frankovic presented Zelensky with the book The Enigma of Victory”(Zagonetka pobjede) by Oliver Peza.
Croatia consolidated its support for Ukraine at the official level by signing a bilateral agreement on long-term cooperation and support. The preamble states: “Croatia is uniquely positioned to assist Ukraine with its own war-related experience, particularly in the areas of mine action, veteran care, and prosecution of grave (implying war) crimes. …Croatia has supported Ukraine since the outset of Russian aggression in 2014 and will continue to do so until Ukraine wins.”
During Zelensky’s visit, Croatian government officials apparently aimed to convince Kyiv of Zagreb’s continued support, despite a controversial, at times openly anti-Ukrainian stance of Croatian President Zoran Milanovic (who was not even invited to the event).
Dubrovnik Declaration
The Dubrovnik Declaration, which was backed by all participants, also primarily aimed to reiterate unwavering support for Ukraine and the unity of the countries in the region on the said issue.
The participants
• Condemned “Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified, and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine”, which is “a crime against the Ukrainian people, a gross violation of international law, including the UN Charter, as well as a great threat to the peace, security and stability of South East Europe, the entire European continent and the world in general”.
• Stressed that support “independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders remains absolute.” “We confirm our unwavering readiness to continue providing comprehensive support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes,” the Declaration states.
• Expressed respect and sympathy to the Ukrainian people, “who have since 2014 have courageously, with endurance and heroism been repelling Russia’s armed aggression.”
• Emphasized “unswerving commitment to the restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea, by further providing comprehensive assistance to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression.”
• Reaffirmed support for the Ukrainian peace formula put forward by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Called on “the entire international community, which is making efforts to restore international peace and security at the global level, to strengthen support for Ukraine in its ongoing struggle for freedom, independence and territorial integrity” and all countries “not to provide material or other support Russia’s war of aggression”. The importance of “consistency with the decisions and measures of European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy” was emphasized (sanctions against the Russian Federation).
• Emphasized that “the withdrawal of Russian troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine, the cessation of hostilities and the restoration of Ukraine’s full control over its state borders are non-negotiable conditions for the restoration of peace.”
• Condemned “any attempts by Russia to forcibly and illegally annex parts of the territory of Ukraine”. “The Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions are integral parts of Ukraine.”
• Reaffirmed support to partners in South East Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia on their way to EU membership.
• Welcomed the fact that NATO has reiterated its support for Ukraine on its way to full Euro-Atlantic integration.
• Expressed “firm determination to hold to account those responsible for the crime of aggression, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
The Declaration also mentions
• the release of prisoners of war and return of forcibly displaced Ukrainians, especially children;
• food safety;
• demining;
• energy security of Ukraine;
• safe use of nuclear energy; and
• willingness to participate in the current and post-war reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine.
“There cannot be a free, peaceful, and prosperous Europe without a free, peaceful, and prosperous Ukraine. The commitment of the participants of the Ukraine – South East Europe Summit in Dubrovnik to this goal remains unwavering,” the participants stated.
The declaration was signed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and President Volodymyr Zelensky as the receiving parties, as well as the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, President of Slovenia Natasa Pirc Musar, Natasa Pirc Musar, Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kristo, Prime Minister of Bulgaria Dimitar Glavchev, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Mihai Popsoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Luminica-Teodora Odobescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Hakan Fidan, as well as Vice President of the European Commission Dubravka Suica.
Vučić’s show
If President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, is to be believed, the Dubrovnik Declaration should have been even more pro-Ukrainian, with clauses on the mandatory introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation in connection with its aggression against Ukraine (not on the need for “harmonization” of the issue), and with the obligation by participants to provide military support to Ukraine. However, as the Serbian leader claims, it was he who managed to soften the document.
No one has officially refuted Vučić’s statement. However, taken into account that the story of “editing the Declaration with the consent of the President of Serbia” was already voiced at the previous Ukraine – South East Europe Summit in Tirana, it is more of a PR stunt or (geo)political game of the Serbian President, than about the actual behind-the-scenes struggle.
In general, Vučić almost became one of the central figures of the Dubrovnik event. Initially, the Serbian leader stole a spotlight by deciding to actually come to the summit in person instead of deploying his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Djuric, as planned initially. Then he provoked rumors by allegedly successfully insisting on changes to the final Declaration…
The pretext behind his contradictory hyperactivity is clear – for the Serbian president, participation in the third Ukraine-oriented summit became a challenging diplomatic task.
Firstly, it was necessary to publicly declare support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine because, in addition to actually reaffirming his position, the president of Serbia seizes every opportunity, and in this context, reminds everyone of the Kosovo case (as he did in Dubrovnik).
Secondly, he needed to demonstrate to the EU (and the USA) that Serbia supports Ukraine, although it does not impose sanctions against Russia. That’s because Belgrade is not going to give up European integration and cooperation with the West.
Thirdly, Vučić had to create the impression among his Moscow “friends” and radicals in own country that he is a real defender of Russia’s interests and is doing whatever he can under challenging conditions and under pressure (hence the story with the amendments to the Declaration, again).
And fourthly, the appearance of the Serbian president in Dubrovnik, which on October 1 marked 23 years since the start of the Serbian-Montenegrin attack, promised some sort of scandal. Here, Vučić decided to evade it by simply refraining from a walk through the Old City, giving up on the idea of having “a coffee on Stradun”…
The Croatian opposition was indignant about why was Vučić, who was an ally of Seselj and Milosevic during the war, was invited to Dubrovnik in the first place?
However, it is clear that the participation of the Serbian leader, like all other high-ranking officials from South East Europe, was important because of the objective of the summit – to ensure broad support of Ukraine by the countries across the region at the highest level.
Conclusions
Despite the many nuances and challenges, the organizers of the forum fulfilled their main task. Ukraine was able to receive united support from the countries in the region, which is certainly an important act of international solidarity with the Kyiv cause.
Zelensky himself explained to the participants of the summit why support for Ukraine is crucial for the countries of in East Europe, primarily the Balkan region.
“Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion is a precondition for your stability. If Russia conquered our country and put the whole of East Europe at risk, there is no doubt that the next region that Moscow would use to destabilize Europe would be the Baltic States or the Balkans,” the Ukrainian president emphasized.
