President Milanović Visits Croatian Soldiers at NATO Base in Rukla, Confirms that Croatian Army will Continue to Participate in Missions
On the second day of his stay in Lithuania and after the end of the NATO Summit, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović visited Croatian soldiers at the NATO base in Rukla. Croatian soldiers are participating in the NATO enhanced Forward Presence mission and there are currently 180 members of the Croatian Armed Forces stationed in Rukla.
While in Rukla, President Milanović commented on the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which he participated in today. “President Zelenskyy is dissatisfied, not because someone promised something more, because they did not. Not everyone is equal in NATO,” President Milanović told the press, explaining that all of his efforts are for the sake of the Croatian public.
“A very dangerous game is being played. If Ukraine were invited to NATO, that would mean war with Russia. One evidently wants to avoid that and so it will be for now. Ukraine will have to fight it out alone. I don’t know if we should have been more honest with them, but I refrained from making any comments at the meeting,” said President Milanović, adding that he did not talk with the Ukrainian President.
At the NATO eFP BG LTU base in Rukla, President Milanović met with members of the 3rd contingent of Croatian soldiers (3rd HRVCON), which was seen off to Lithuania last December.
Apart from meeting with Croatian soldiers, the Croatian President visited the Tactical-Technical Assembly and attended a presentation on the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in the Republic of Lithuania, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Lithuania Žilvinas Tomkus, Commander of the “Iron Wolf BDE” Brigade Colonel Aurelius Motijeūnas, Commander of the NATO eFP Battle Group Lieutenant Colonel Lars Neitzel and the Commander of the 3rd HRVCON in the Republic of Lithuania Lieutenant Colonel Samir Mršić. President Milanović lit a candle at the memorial to the deceased members of the eFP BG LTU, Croatian Armed Forces member Marijo Pavišić and German Armed Forces member Adrian Rohn.
After meeting with the commanders and soldiers at the NATO base, President Milanović said that Croatia would continue to send new contingents of troops to NATO missions. “Croatia will continue to send new contingents, but it is necessary to constantly monitor and be opportunistic. Basic loyalty should be maintained, but decisions and pathways are drawn without our participation,” said President Milanović, adding that Croatian soldiers in Lithuania have the opportunity to work, self-improve, learn and build contacts with others.
The Head of the Office of the President of the Republic Orsat Miljenić, Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj, Director of the Security and Intelligence Agency Daniel Markić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Defense Ivica Olujić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for National Security Dragan Lozančić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the Republic of Lithuania Dunja Staničić and Defense Attaché of the Republic of Croatia in Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Captain Joško Šantić(N) visited the NATO base in Rukla with President Milanović.
President Milanović’s two-day stay in the Republic of Lithuania, where he attended the NATO Summit, ended with his visit to the NATO base in Rukla and his meeting with Croatian soldiers. On the second day of the NATO Summit, a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Heads of State and Government was held, as well as the inaugural session of the NATO-Ukraine Council.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan