Milanović: Croatian soldiers will not participate in other people's wars

Croatian President Zoran Milanović announced on Facebook on Monday that the Croatian government is not authorized to push Croatia into any new coalitions that could involve Croatian soldiers in the war in Ukraine.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković participated in a video conference of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing on Sunday, two days after the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska and ahead of the meeting of European leaders with the US president on Monday in Washington.

“I emphasized that we continue to support the achievement of a just and sustainable peace that will respect international law and the territorial integrity of Ukraine, with long-term security guarantees,” the Croatian Prime Minister wrote after the meeting at X.

“Since the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia has recently joined the talks of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, which also includes countries whose leaders announced sending their soldiers to Ukraine, I would like to remind you that Croatia is a member of the European Union and NATO and only has obligations arising from membership in these alliances,” President Zoran Milanović wrote on Facebook today.

“Croatia has no obligations arising from political or military agreements between the leaders of the so-called Coalition of the Willing countries, and the Croatian Government is not authorized by anyone to push Croatia into any new coalitions that could include the participation of Croatian soldiers in the war in Ukraine,” the president added.

Zoran Milanović“I received a mandate from the Croatian people to represent such a position and that is why I repeat that Croatian soldiers will not participate in other people's wars,” Milanović emphasized.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with European allies via video link on Sunday, along with the President of the European Commission, the peace agreement that the US President is trying to reach after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday. In the event of a peace agreement, the United States offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to those in Article 5 of NATO, but without formal accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, diplomatic sources announced.

At the meeting, Plenković joined, among others, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The "Coalition of the Willing" brings together most of the major European countries, the EU, NATO and non-European countries such as Canada.

Medved: Croatian Army Will Not Be Sent to Ukraine

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans' Affairs Tomo Medved commented on President Zoran Milanović's announcement.

He said that the position of the Government and the Prime Minister is principled - Ukraine needs a just and sustainable peace. He pointed out that sending Croatian soldiers to Ukraine was never an option.

“The Republic of Croatia is a friend of Ukraine. It has provided various forms of support and assistance so far. The Government continues to hold the view that Ukraine needs peace, a peace that is sustainable and just, and as for sending Croatian soldiers to Ukraine, that has never been an option and is not now. I do not know why this option is being brought up again and emphasized. So, the Croatian Army will not be sent to Ukraine, but the Republic of Croatia will continue, as it has done so far, to provide assistance to Ukraine as a true friend, as a country that has gone through greater Serbian aggression, which understands very well what Ukraine is going through,” said Minister Medved.

Source: HRT