Ukrainian MFA considers unacceptable Croatian President's statement on Crimea's belonging to Russia; appreciates support of Croatian govt, people – spokesman

KYIV. Jan 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine considers unacceptable the statements of the President of Croatia, who said the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula allegedly "will never be Ukraine again," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Oleh Nikolenko has said.

"Croatian President Zoran Milanović believes that Crimea will never be Ukraine again. He also warned against confronting Russia, which has nuclear weapons… We consider unacceptable the statements of the President of Croatia, who actually questioned the territorial integrity of Ukraine," Nikolenko said on Facebook on Tuesday.

He also said Milanović could hardly have become president of his country with such rhetoric in the 1990s, when Croatia was fighting to preserve its statehood, and his voters would hardly have agreed to turn a blind eye to the occupation of part of the country’s territory.

"Let me remind you that due to external aggression, Croatia could lose a third of its lands. However, thanks to the heroic struggle, the Croats were able to defend the independence of their state," Nikolenko said.

"At the same time, we highly appreciate and thank the government of Croatia and the Croatian people for their unwavering support of Ukrainians in the fight against Russian aggression," he said.