Plenković and Meloni discuss strengthening Croatia-Italy ties

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met in Rome on Wednesday, highlighting the “excellent” relations between their countries and announcing plans to take bilateral cooperation to a higher level.

During their meeting at Palazzo Chigi, the two leaders confirmed that a joint session of the Croatian and Italian governments is planned for 2026, aimed at identifying common priorities and strengthening ties across multiple sectors, including defense.

“Italy has been Croatia's first or second trading partner for years, with trade totaling around 9 billion euros,” said Plenković. “The two sides want to further intensify this cooperation through a government-to-government meeting to give a new dimension to our relations.”

Meloni described Italy as Croatia’s “privileged partner” and emphasized that the meeting is part of a broader effort to deepen economic and strategic cooperation. She also raised the idea of organizing joint economic forums focused on the defense sector.

Plenković noted that Croatia, in the process of transitioning from Eastern to Western military technology, is ready to strengthen cooperation with Italy, which has a developed military industry. A memorandum of cooperation between Croatia’s Alan agency and Italian partners is currently being prepared, with initial talks underway that could eventually include weapons production.

“There are several processes currently underway, including strengthening the Croatian Navy, where Italian companies are actively involved,” Plenković said. “Discussions on potential defense cooperation are still in the early stages, so I cannot go into details yet.”

The two leaders also discussed joint efforts to prevent illegal migration. Plenković thanked Meloni for the cooperation of Italian and Slovenian police, who patrol the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina alongside Croatian forces.

Meloni stressed that both countries share the goal of accelerating the European integration of the Western Balkans. “Europe will not be truly united until all European nations enter the European Union family,” she said, calling it a strategic interest for both Italy and Croatia.

“Prime Minister Meloni and I agreed that a government-to-government meeting will be held in 2026,” Plenković said. “It will focus on ministers and departments where we can find common topics for deepening joint cooperation and give it a new dimension.”

Meloni concluded, “There are long historical ties between our countries, and now it is time to see how much Croatia and Italy can achieve together in Brussels to build a stronger, safer Europe.”