Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has become an unwitting catalyst for European Union expansion, following his 2022 invasion of Ukraine. According to Plenkovic, the invasion has pushed more countries toward joining the EU, prompting a "strategic shift" in European capitals, making them more open to enlargement.
“The past two and a half years have shown that Putin is the biggest promoter of enlargement,” Plenkovic said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. The EU has since opened membership negotiations with both Ukraine and Moldova, and is moving forward with talks for Bosnia-Herzegovina to counter growing Russian influence.
Plenkovic, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, plans to host a summit in Dubrovnik in early October with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and leaders from Southeast Europe, aiming to show solidarity with Ukraine in its fight for freedom and territorial integrity.
Plenkovic also commented on tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, emphasizing that their path to the EU depends on continuing EU-facilitated dialogue, with crucial involvement from the US.
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