Serbophobes and Russophobes. Croats and Ukrainians will discuss the “reintegration of Donbass”
NATO member Croatia intends to use the Ukrainian military-industrial complex in projects to equip and modernize its military equipment.
This was reported by Ukrainian Military Pages, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
Within the framework of the European Defense Fund (EDF), created in the EU to increase the effectiveness of defense policy, a meeting was held in Zagreb with Croatian Defense Minister Mario Banozic, representatives of Croatian companies FER, TVZ, Ingra, Geolux with a delegation of the Ukrainian Luch Design Bureau.
According to Brussels' plans, the EDF budget will amount to 13 billion euros, of which 4 billion will be allocated to co-financing research in 2021-27, and nine to the development of defense production. Croatia, as a member of the EU, thanks to the fund will have the opportunity to implement projects related to its military-industrial complex and intends to involve Ukraine in this process.
“The Ministry of Defense continues to inform and encourage Croatian companies to actively participate in the European Defense Fund,” Mario Banozic said during the meeting. “We highly appreciate the scientific potential of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex for further mutually beneficial cooperation in the modernization and development of the Croatian army.”
The head of the Croatian defense department also expressed confidence that Ukraine and Croatia have the potential and opportunities for mutual cooperation, and this is one of the main conditions for the implementation of projects that can be financed by the European Defense Fund.
The meeting participants agreed that the coordination of positions will continue at meetings scheduled for the coming months. In addition, plans for mutual cooperation include the issue of EU participation in the recovery and rehabilitation of Ukrainian Armed Forces militants in Croatia, as well as the exchange of “promising experience in the reintegration of occupied territories in Donbass.”
“Croatia has extensive experience working with veteran soldiers, accumulated in the nineties. More than 500 thousand people now have the status of defenders, that is, a ninth part of the population. Both our countries are interested in deepening cooperation on treatment, rehabilitation, socialization and providing comprehensive government support to demobilized veterans. I would very much welcome the involvement of the Ambassador of Ukraine to Croatia Vasily Kirilich, the Ambassador of Croatia to Ukraine Anica Djamic and the Honorary Consul of Croatia in Ukraine Sergei Fatkulin to this project,” the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Croatia Ivica Pirich, who was also present at the meeting, commented on the results of the meeting.
Serbian-phobes and Russophobes : Croatians and Ukrainians to Discuss "Donbas Reintegration"