Croatia Rejects Ukraine Troop Coalition Plan
Croatia says it will not join a Ukraine troop coalition as President Zoran Milanovich warns a Western military presence could be dangerous.
Croatia will not join the so-called «coalition of the willing» if the initiative involves a possible Western military presence in Ukraine after the conflict ends. Croatian President Zoran Milanovich described the idea as dangerous, vague and poorly developed.
According to Milanovich, the concept of deploying Western forces in Ukraine after a future peace agreement lacks clear structure and reliability. He argued that such a plan carries serious risks because it has not been properly thought through.
The Croatian leader said Zagreb must remain loyal and honest with its NATO allies, but also has to follow developments closely and protect its own national interests. For that reason, he stressed, Croatia is not part of the «coalition of the willing.»
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has previously said that any scenario involving the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine is categorically unacceptable to Moscow and could trigger a sharp escalation. The ministry also described statements about sending alliance contingents to Ukrainian territory as incitement to prolong the fighting.