At Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit, Minister Fajon warns of detained civilians, including journalists

A complete and unconditional ceasefire is now more urgent than ever. It is equally essential to find those responsible for crimes committed: "The Russian leadership must be held accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. Slovenia supports the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression. We will also continue to draw attention to the plight of detained civilians, including journalists, and demand the safe return of forcibly transferred and deported children," stated Minister Fajon at the meeting, assuring that Slovenia will continue to support Ukraine to the best of its ability, particularly the civilian population, who are suffering the most from the conflict. "We place great emphasis on the psychosocial and medical rehabilitation of children and victims of war. Slovenia continues to support the Superhumans Center in Lviv, which will provide advanced prosthetics and tailored rehabilitation for 30 survivors of war this year. Slovenia is also financing a project aimed at empowering veterans through certified demining training programmes that comply with national standards. This contributes to their social reintegration and employment, while also enhancing Ukraine's technical capacities for humanitarian demining."

The leaders in Odesa have adopted a joint statement condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine and reaffirming their continued support for Ukraine, including in its reconstruction efforts and the pursuit of a just and lasting peace. They also agreed on the need to apply additional pressure on Russia.

This was the fourth Summit held in this format, with Ukraine extending invitations to Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye. The first Summit took place on 21 August 2023 in Athens (on the 20th anniversary of the EU-Western Balkans Summit and the signing of the Thessaloniki Declaration), the second on 28 February 2024 in Tirana and the third on 9 October 2024 in Dubrovnik.

Ahead of the Summit, the highest representatives of Southeast European countries paid tribute to the fallen Ukrainian heroes of the ongoing war – Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – at the monument to the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko.

This is the fourth visit by Minister Fajon to Ukraine since the onset of the Russian aggression, with previous visits taking place in July 2022, October 2023 and January 2025.