The Croatian premier also proposed that Ukraine, a country with a big market, should join CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement).
"CEFTA has proved to be a fruitful organisation and we would like to have it expanded. I have already discussed this topic with the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, who have supported it," Sanader said in his speech.
Commenting on the Croatian-Ukrainian relations, Sanader said that both countries were interested in broadening their cooperation.
With regard to Croatia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, the PM said that his country was striding towards the European Union and NATO, and reiterated that he hoped that Zagreb could complete EU membership talks in 2008.
On Friday, Sanader will attend the YES conference on Yalta.
The YES is a international network for Ukraine and the EU with an aim of helping a fair, free and rich Ukraine to become a member of the Union.
Stephen Byers, the YES executive committee's chairman, said that this independent association deeply believed in Ukraine's future in the European family.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who could not attend Thursday's event in Kiev due to a government crisis, sent a message to the participants urging them to offer the backing to his country in a bid to join the EU.