Croatian president opposes country’s participation in NATO’s Ukraine mission

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has refused to approve the participation of Croatian soldiers in NATO’s mission to support Ukraine, citing concerns about the conflict potentially spreading to Croatia and prioritizing the safety of his country.
This decision contradicts the support package agreed upon at the July NATO summit, which included establishing the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) to coordinate military aid and training for Ukraine by partners.
The aim of NSATU is to support the transformation of Ukraine’s Defense and Security Forces, ensuring further integration with NATO.
Milanovic’s refusal has sparked criticism from Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who called it “manipulation” that harms Croatia’s international standing.
Plenkovic argued that the decision only affected the deployment of a few officers to a NATO command in Germany, and that Croatia would not become directly involved in the war.
This is not the first time the two leaders have disagreed on Ukraine policies.
The Croatian government, mainly aligned with Plenkovic, has strongly supported military aid to Kyiv, including the delivery of 14 Mi-8 helicopters, and Plenkovic himself has made several visits to Ukraine.
In contrast, Milanovic has criticized Western sanctions on Russia and opposed the provision of arms to Ukraine, highlighting a clear divide between him and the government.
Despite Croatia’s decision, NATO has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ukraine.