ZAGREB, December 4, 2018 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković condemned on Tuesday Russian action in Kerch Strait, saying that it was an unacceptable violation of international law.

Tension between Russia and Ukraine has escalated after Russia captured three Ukrainian naval vessels and their crews a week ago as they tried to pass through the Kerch Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Russia has ignored international calls to release 24 crew members, of whom three have been wounded, claiming that they crossed the Russian border illegally.

"We are concerned about the situation in Ukraine. ... That is unacceptable and contrary to international law," Plenković said in his opening remarks at a Central European Initiative (CEI) summit in Zagreb. "We support all international initiatives to ease tensions, fully supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty," he added.

Security and migration are among the topics to be discussed at the summit, with which Croatia wraps up its year-long presidency of the 18-country regional initiative.

Plenković said that the problem of migration could be tackled effectively only if approached comprehensively, by regulating legal migration and preventing illegal migration.

"We are not a country that has decided to put up physical barriers at the border. Instead, we have deployed 6,500 border police to guard the border, preparing to enter the Schengen system," the Croatian prime minister said.

He said that cooperation with other EU members and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, known as Frontex, was crucial. "I believe that such an approach can deliver results."

Plenković emphasised the importance of the CEI for the transfer of experience to countries aspiring to join the EU and NATO. "As the youngest member state, we will unselfishly offer all our experience, knowledge and political support," he concluded.

The CEI summit is taking place at the end of Croatia's year-long presidency of the organisation. The main topics discussed are security and economic issues.

Five CEI prime ministers arrived in Zagreb on Monday, but Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Romanian Prime Minister Vasilia Victoria Dancila have left before the summit ended. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov was not present, although he had announced his attendance.

The CEI was established in Budapest in 1989 with a view to assisting countries in the region in joining the European Union. Of the 18 CEI member states, 10 have joined the EU, five are on track to becoming members of the bloc, while three are members of the Eastern Partnership. The CEI members are: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

The next CEI president is Italy.

For more on the relations between Croatia and Russia, click here.

ZAGREB, December 4, 2018 - Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Marija Pejčinović Burić, met with the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, in Zagreb on Monday, and reiterated the position that Croatia supports Ukraine on its European journey.

Pejčinović Burić said that Croatia supported Ukraine on its European path by providing operational and technical assistance and sharing its experience from this process.

She praised Ukraine for the progress made in implementing reforms, saying that the reform process was going well and was bringing Ukraine closer to Euro-Atlantic integration despite the difficult security situation and challenges the country was facing.

The two officials expressed satisfaction with the cooperation within the working group for Croatia-Ukraine cooperation, the work of the joint commission on economic cooperation, and the positive trend in trade and tourism, which is evident in the growing number of Ukrainian tourists visiting Croatia.

Pejčinović Burić said that Croatian companies were interested in doing business in Ukraine, notably in the IT, energy, pharmaceutical and chemical industries and other sectors of the economy.

They also discussed the security situation in Ukraine and its surroundings. Concern was expressed about the current situation in the Sea of Azov and the Strait of Kerch, Russian activities and the further escalation of tensions, which has resulted in the injuring of Ukrainian seamen and their being taken prisoner, the blockade of Ukrainian seaports, and the prevention of maritime traffic.

Pejčinović Burić called for exercising restraint, respecting international law and preventing further escalation. She said that Croatia continued to strongly support the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

Before meeting Pejčinović Burić, Klympush-Tsintsadze had met with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who emphasised the importance of further strengthening bilateral relations between Croatia and Ukraine.

For more on relations between Croatia and Ukraine, click here.

ZAGREB, October 10, 2018 - Economy Minister Darko Horvat will meet on Wednesday with potential partners from Ukraine interested in buying a stake in Rijeka's 3. Maj shipyard.

ZAGREB, May 12, 2018 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Friday received the Ukrainian parliament's deputy speaker Iryna Herashchenko, and on that occasion he said that Croatia strongly supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine and its journey towards the European Union.

ZAGREB, April 17, 2018 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met in Zagreb on Monday with Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, expressing Croatia's support to Ukraine's reform efforts and European agenda, Plenković's office said in a press release.

ZAGREB, April 16, 2018 - The Croatia-Ukraine Commission on Economic Cooperation held its first meeting in Zagreb on Monday, under the co-chairmanship of the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Martina Dalić, and Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.

ZAGREB, Jan 16, 2018 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Tuesday met with Ukrainian Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak for talks on the political and economic relations between the two countries and between the European Union and Ukraine, the Croatian government said in a press release.

The charge is led by Sardina's canned fish and Agrolaguna's olive oil.

The visit by the Croatian delegation has caused an uproar from Russia.

The recent meeting between the Croatian and Ukrainian Prime Ministers has been met with criticism from Moscow.