The fourth Ukraine–Southeast Europe Summit concluded Tuesday in Odesa with a strong call for enhanced regional security and support for Ukraine, amid ongoing Russian aggression. Delegates addressed issues ranging from hybrid threats and energy security to Ukraine’s recovery and humanitarian aid.
A joint declaration, adopted by officials from Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, and Slovenia, urged the international community to “maintain and further strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation in the banking and energy sectors.”
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who attended the summit, abstained from signing the declaration. “I could not go against myself, my country and my policies by signing the Declaration,” Vučić told reporters, referring to the sanctions clause (FoNet, June 11).
Vučić, on his first visit to Ukraine since the war began, proposed an alternative form of support. “I would like to receive your support, Mr. President Zelensky, so that we can take one or two small towns or one small region that we could restore. And I think it would be something very understandable and noticeable to the people in Ukraine,” he said, citing Azerbaijan’s similar approach (FoNet).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged Serbia’s offer. “I thank you for the initiative to help with the recovery efforts and to assume patronage over the reconstruction of several Ukrainian settlements,” Zelenskyy wrote on X after his bilateral meeting with Vučić. “This is a truly effective form of cooperation, and we look forward to positive results.”
The declaration also called for the “full withdrawal of Russian forces and equipment from the entire Ukrainian territory” and reaffirmed the necessity of restoring Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders as a “non-negotiable condition for peace.”
Additionally, the document emphasized future EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova, and Southeast European partners as “vital for the long-term stability, security, and prosperity of the region and Europe as a whole.” NATO membership for Ukraine was described as the “most cost-effective security option.”
The summit was first held in 2022 to deepen ties between Kyiv and Southeast European countries. According to the Kyiv Post, Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian drone strikes, with the latest attack killing two civilians on June 10.
Participants also committed to contributing to Ukraine’s post-war recovery, stressing the involvement of “international financial institutions, private companies, local communities, and other partners” to secure the necessary resources for reconstruction.