Leaders from several southeastern European countries gathered in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Wednesday, June 11, for a regional summit, just hours after the city was hit by Russian missile and drone strikes.
The summit was announced through official websites of three countries, revealing the meeting to the public.
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Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, known for his close ties to Russia, made his first visit to Ukraine since the 2022 Russian full-scale invasion, attending the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Odesa, according to his office.
The visit marks a notable shift as Serbia seeks closer alignment with the European Union despite its traditional relationship with Russia.
Romania’s newly elected President Nicușor Dan also attended the summit, where he planned to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reaffirm Romania’s support for Ukraine. Dan’s office confirmed his participation in the summit hosted by Zelensky.
Other leaders present included Moldova’s President Maia Sandu, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. Kyiv did not release details about the summit’s agenda or Ukraine’s representatives, citing security reasons. Such visits are often kept secret to protect foreign leaders.
Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian attacks during the war, with the most recent drone strike killing two in the city on Tuesday, June 10.
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The Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit was launched in 2022 to strengthen ties between Kyiv and southeastern European countries amid the ongoing war with Russia.
At last year’s summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Zelensky called for European unity and urged faster EU integration for Ukraine and other countries in the region.
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