First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko and Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković discussed strengthening cooperation between the countries in the economic sphere, reconstruction, and humanitarian demining during a meeting in Zagreb on 10 October 2023. At the end of the meeting, Yuliia Svyrydenko and Davor Božinović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of demining in the presence of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia.

"Ukraine is extremely grateful to the Croatian people and the Government of Croatia for the political, military, financial and humanitarian support that our country and Ukrainians have been receiving since the beginning of the large-scale invasion. We are grateful for the programmes for the rehabilitation of our defenders and children of Ukrainian soldiers initiated and implemented by your country. We don't need to tell Croats what war is, what aggression is: Croatia has experienced it not so long ago. And it is still feeling the consequences: the mines and unexploded ordnance do not know that the war is over. Croatia has come a long and difficult way to overcome the consequences. And today, Ukraine needs Croatia's experience in demining, reconstruction and rehabilitation," said Yuliia Svyrydenko during a conversation with Andrej Plenković.

The First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy of Ukraine stressed that Croatia's experience in organising and moderating demining would be of particular benefit to our country.

Speaking during the signing of the Mine Action Cooperation Agreement, Yuliia Svyrydenko noted that one of the most important elements of Croatia's support for Ukraine is cooperation in the field of humanitarian demining.

"Croatian-made demining machines are already operating in Ukrainian fields, making the land safe. In the summer, Ukrainian and Croatian manufacturers agreed to localise the production of such machines in Ukraine. Today, we are stepping up our cooperation. The intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of demining begins a new stage of cooperation between governments, experts, demining specialists, and manufacturers from both countries. The ultimate goal of this cooperation is to clear the territory of Ukraine of mines, ensure the safety of Ukrainians, restore and develop our country," said Yuliia Svyrydenko.

As the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economy of Ukraine stressed, the areas of cooperation envisaged by the Agreement are part of the Mine Action Strategy that Ukraine is currently working on. Therefore, the Agreement is a very practical and substantive document, the work under which will begin immediately.

The agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on cooperation in the field of demining provides for cooperation in the following areas:

- Non-technical and technical surveys, demining, and clearing of territories;

- Educating the public about the risks associated with explosive ordnance and providing assistance to mine victims;

- Developing a regulatory framework and standard procedures in the field of mine action;

- Trainings for specialists, exchange of experience among experts and trainers in demining, transfer of expert knowledge and best practices;

- Exchange of knowledge and experience in developing capacities for the production of protective equipment, mine detection and demining equipment, and in the training and certification of mine detection dogs;

- Facilitating the exchange of experience in the practical use of equipment used in demining, etc.