President: “Croatian soldiers will not fight in other people’s wars”

President Milanovic (Photo credit: Ured PRH)

President Zoran Milanović has stressed that Croatian soldiers will not take part in the war in Ukraine, saying the government is not authorised to commit Croatia to any new international coalitions outside existing obligations.

In a statement published on Facebook on Monday, Milanović reacted to recent reports that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković had joined discussions with the so-called “Coalition of the Willing”, a group of countries considering stronger involvement in Ukraine.

“Croatia is a member of the European Union and NATO and only has obligations arising from membership in these alliances,” Milanović wrote.

“Croatia has no obligations arising from political or military agreements of the leaders of the so-called Coalition of the Willing.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia has not been authorised by anyone to push Croatia into any new coalitions that could include the participation of Croatian soldiers in the war in Ukraine.

I have been mandated by the Croatian people to represent such a position, and therefore I repeat that Croatian soldiers will not participate in other people’s wars.”

The president’s comments came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, held talks with European allies via video link.

The discussions followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday, in an effort to move closer to a possible peace deal.

According to diplomatic sources, in the event of such an agreement the United States has offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to NATO’s Article 5 – which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all – but without formal NATO membership.

Milanović has consistently opposed Croatian military involvement in the conflict, repeating that Croatia’s commitments are limited to its role as an EU and NATO member, and no further.