Zelenskyy to seek more war support from a dozen countries in southeast Europe

DUBROVNIK, Croatia (AP) — Ukraine's president is again seeking political and other support on Wednesday from a dozen countries in southeast Europe at a summit in Croatia, whose president isn't attending in a sign of the divided views on the war with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Dubrovnik for the meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and other leaders. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has criticized Western policies regarding the war as Croatia’s political leadership is split over support for Ukraine.

“As long as I’m the president of Croatia, I will not sign for Croatian soldiers to be present in Ukraine,” Milanovic said Tuesday, asserting that “the NATO mission to train soldiers in Ukraine is nonsense.”

Zelenskyy said on X that “we will discuss international efforts to bring peace closer ... our joint response with partners to security challenges, as well as cooperation on the path to the European Union and NATO."

Kyiv is still awaiting word from Western partners on its repeated requests to use the long-range weapons they provide to hit targets on Russian soil.

Some Balkan states have been providing Ukraine with short-range ammunition. At a previous summit with southeast European countries in February, Zelenskyy pleaded for more to repel Russian advances.

In Dubrovnik, Zelenskyy will sign an agreement with Croatia on further cooperation, particularly regarding humanitarian aid, demining and war crimes prosecution experience that Croatia has from its own 1991-95 war.

Besides Croatia, the summit is being attended by premiers, presidents or foreign ministers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey.

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic's government is the only one in Europe that has not imposed sanctions on Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, although Vucic has repeatedly said that Serbia respects Ukraine’s “territorial integrity.”

Summit participants are expected to pass a declaration condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine and supporting Zelenskyy's peace effort, Ukraine's membership in NATO and its reconstruction after the war, Croatia's state HRT television said.

“Respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states is common for all states of southeast Europe as a basis for peace in Europe since the end of World War II,” said Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, meets Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Southeast Europe Croatia Ukraine summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, is welcomed by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Southeast Europe Croatia Ukraine summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, is welcomed by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Southeast Europe Croatia Ukraine summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, is welcomed by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Southeast Europe Croatia Ukraine summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, centre left, attends a meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, third from right, at the Southeast Europe Croatia Ukraine summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Southeast Europe Croatia Ukraine summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, meets Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Southeast Europe Croatia Ukraine summit in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)

MADRID (AP) — Saudi Arabia has consolidated its branding push with Atlético Madrid by paying for naming rights to the Spanish club’s stadium for the next nine years.

Atlético, which has been sponsored by Saudi state-owned Riyadh Air since last season, said Wednesday that its Metropolitano stadium will be known as the Riyadh Air Metropolitano henceforth until 2033.

It is the third naming rights deal for the Metropolitano, which was first called the Wanda Metropolitano after a deal with the Chinese real estate group when it opened in 2017. In 2022, the venue became the Civitas Metropolitano after an agreement reached with the Spanish real estate developer. The stadium was built to replace the outdated Vicente Calderon.

Atlético did not say how much it was receiving for the new agreement “which makes the Saudi Arabian company the most important sponsor in the club’s history.”

The deal for shirt sponsorship from 2023-27 was already worth a reported 40 million euros ($44 million) a season to the club.

“The final installation of the new name of the stadium on the main, northeast and southeast facades will take place in the next few weeks,” Atlético said.

The establishment of Riyadh Air was announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March 2023. It is yet to begin commercial operations.

Saudi Arabia is all-but confirmed to host the 2034 World Cup. It is the only candidate in a contest FIFA member federations will decide in a Dec. 11 vote.

But the oil-rich kingdom has been accused of abusing migrant workers. A global group of trade unions filed a complaint in July urging the International Labor Organization to investigate the country for “severe human rights abuses and wage theft,” which it said affected at least 21,000 workers over the past decade.

Hosting the World Cup is part of the sweeping Vision 2030 project backed by the crown prince to modernize Saudi society and diversify the economy beyond dependence on oil. Sports and entertainment events are key to his project.

Deals with Atlético provide a link to the club’s CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil Marin, who is board member of the influential European Club Association, which should be a key stakeholder in negotiations with FIFA over which months the 2034 World Cup will be played.

Dan Friedkin, the owner and president of Italian club Roma, is another ECA board member. Roma’s team jerseys have been displaying the logo of Saudi state-owned entertainment series Riyadh Season since August last year.

Atletico fans cheer before the La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)