Skopje, 7 March 2024 (MIA) — Opening rehabilitation centers in the Western Balkans, including North Macedonia, for wounded Ukrainian soldiers is a generally acceptable idea but the details need to be worked out between the governments of participating countries, President Stevo Pendarovski's office said in response to a question by MIA whether the National Security Council discussed the idea after it was proposed by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Ukraine – Southeast Europe Summit in Tirana on Feb. 28.

President Zelensky said the region, including North Macedonia, could help in the rehabilitation of children and soldiers from Ukraine's war zones during his meetings with President Pendarovski and with Montenegro President Jakov Milatović.

Asked by MIA whether North Macedonia had received an official request and what implications this would have for national security, the presidential office said the proposal was initially given by Croatia's prime minister and the President of Montenegro, considering that those two countries had already had experience in rehabilitating soldiers in 1990s.

"The idea, in principle, is acceptable to us, although it would require a specific elaboration of the details, which will be the responsibility of the governments of the countries that will agree to participate in this program," the presidential office said.

After his meeting with Pendarovski, Zelensky posted on X that he had expressed gratitude for all of the political support and clear stance on Ukraine's future in NATO and that he informed North Macedonia's President of the current battlefield situation and Ukraine's defense needs.

I met with North Macedonia's President @SPendarovski and expressed gratitude for all of the political support and clear stance on Ukraine's future in NATO.

I informed President Pendarovski of the current battlefield situation and Ukraine's defense needs.

I emphasized the… pic.twitter.com/Sc3R8Hp1Yu

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 28, 2024

"I emphasized the importance of North Macedonia's participation in implementing the Peace Formula and preparing for the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland. 

"We paid special attention to the posibility of establishing a rehabilitation hub for wounded Ukrainian soldiers and Ukrainian children with the help of Balkan states," he wrote.

Pendarovski's office said after the Tirana meeting that the two presidents had talked about the latest developments in Ukraine and the possibilities for deepening cooperation toward supporting the Ukrainian people and restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

President Pendarovski, the press release said, had reaffirmed the position that North Macedonia strongly condemns the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine from the start as it was a violation of the UN Charter and the principles of the OSCE. 

"The President also welcomed the European Council's decision to open negotiations for Ukraine's EU membership and highlighted that North Macedonia, as a NATO member state, remained committed to the open-door policy and supported Ukraine's application for membership in the Alliance," the release said.

In 2023, by a government decision, Croatia received wounded Ukrainians and provided health care to them in its health facilities. mr/