Zelensky visits Croatia for summit with south-east European states

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Croatia on Wednesday to take part in a summit with a dozen south-east European states.

"With Prime Minister [Andrej] Plenković, we will discuss further defense cooperation, rehabilitation of our warriors wounded on the frontline, as well as Ukraine’s recovery," Zelensky wrote on the social media platform X.

He said participants in the Ukraine+12 summit would also discuss the implementation of Ukraine's peace plan and the country's integration into the European Union and the NATO military alliance.

Zelensky was originally expected in Germany this Saturday, where the Ukraine Defense Contact Group - a US-led initiative soon to be absorbed into NATO - was to meet at the US air base in Ramstein at the invitation of President Joe Biden.

However, the meeting was postponed on Wednesday after Biden cancelled his attendance due to Hurricane Milton.

Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia's full-scale invasion for more than two and a half years.