Ukraine criticizes Croatian president's 'unacceptable' Crimea remarks

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday criticized Croatian President Zoran Milanovic’s “unacceptable” comments on Crimea.

In remarks on Monday evening, Milanovic asserted that Crimea, the region Russia illegally annexed in 2014, “will never again be a part of Ukraine.”

“We consider unacceptable the remarks by the Croatian president, who actually questioned the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Oleg Nikolenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, wrote in a Facebook post.

“I wonder if Zoran Milanovic could become the president of his country with such rhetoric in the 1990s, when Croatia fought for the preservation of her statehood,” he said.

Ukraine appreciates and thanks the government of Croatia and the Croatian people for their unwavering support, Nikolenko added.