President Milanović: A Croatian soldier will not go to Ukraine under any arrangement; it is completely out of the question

“A Croatian soldier will not go to Ukraine under any arrangement—it is completely out of the question. I campaigned on this, and it is my solemn commitment to those who entrusted me with their confidence. I see that some key ministers in Plenković’s government share this view. Let’s not deceive ourselves. The Croatian Army will not take part in this mission, and one of the reasons is that it will never happen, with or without Croatia. The fundamental conditions for such a mission have not been met—a peace agreement and the consent of the other side, which, unfortunately, is Russia. I am glad that Russia is not a neighbour of Croatia. I believe the minister had good intentions, but when it comes to Croatia’s participation in this mission, we will not be involved. We consider it both dangerous and irresponsible,” said President Zoran Milanović today in Podgorica during his official visit to Montenegro, responding to a journalist’s question about the statement by the Minister of Defense, who had said that Croatia would not rush to join the ‘coalition of the willing’ for Ukraine.

“As far as I am concerned, Croatian soldiers will not take part in this travesty. If the government believes it should continue providing Ukraine with material support and equipment, let it do so. I am responsible for Croatia’s defense, national security, and territorial integrity—that is what the Constitution states,” he emphasized.

“I could raise a question every time a piece of Croatian Army equipment is sent away—equipment that has been collected and maintained for decades under impossible conditions, at great cost, and even more so when we were under embargo. If someone wants to donate it, even to Ukraine, believing that Croatia can do without it and that it will receive a small compensation in return, and if they truly believe that, I will remain silent to a certain extent. I will observe what happens but will not interfere directly,” Milanović added.

Speaking to the media after his meeting with Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, President Milanović highlighted the importance of Croatia-Montenegro relations and mutual cooperation. Discussing Montenegro’s European perspective, he reiterated Croatia’s support for its EU membership: “It is in our interest for Montenegro to join the European Union as soon as possible. What the EU is today, how decisions are made, and what it will actually become—not tomorrow, but in just a few minutes—is increasingly difficult to comprehend.”

Milanović also addressed the geopolitical situation and the challenges facing the EU and NATO: “Like us, you are a NATO member—an alliance currently undergoing serious turbulence. Amidst all this, we must focus on what is happening now and what lies immediately ahead, rather than dwelling solely on events from 30 years ago. Of course, history matters—what happened 20 or 30 years ago is relevant—but our priority must be what awaits us today and tomorrow, and the direction in which Europe is heading.”

Asked about Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman’s statement that the Lora camp never existed, Milanović said he could not comment directly but noted that he had discussed the issue with President Milatović. “There was a kind of camp in Lora—people were killed there, and some were punished for it. It is up to the Croatian judiciary to resolve this. Our judiciary is slow, but it is consistently and persistently resolving this,” he said, adding that he has never shielded anyone when it comes to crimes.

“These are judicial matters, and the more time passes, the harder it will be to establish the truth, making discussions like this even more difficult. I don’t believe this benefits or strengthens our relations. We need to move forward—history defines us and weighs us down, but I doubt that either President Milatović or I can resolve this,” Milanović concluded.

The start of the official visit to Montenegro was delayed by an hour because the Croatian Prime Minister used the official government plane for his trip to Dubrovnik. Commenting on the delay, Milanović said: “I found out that the plane was late, but I don’t know the reason. If Plenković explained it, then that’s that. I regret being an hour and a half late because, in principle, when agreements are made, they should be respected.”

President Milanović, accompanied by his spouse, Prof. Sanja Musić Milanović, Ph. D., is on an official visit to Montenegro at the invitation of President Jakov Milatović. The visit began with an official welcoming ceremony for the Croatian President and his spouse at Villa Gorica in Podgorica, followed by a tête-à-tête conversation between the two Presidents. After bilateral meetings between the Croatian and Montenegrin delegations, the two leaders addressed the public. On the first day of the visit, President Milanović also met with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Crotia / Tomislav Bušljeta