Anusic reiterated his government’s position by declaring that it is not prepared, does not want, and does not plan to send the Croatian army to that territory, the Vecernji List newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, analysts note that this position reflects the deep divisions within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) regarding the military escalation in the Ukrainian conflict.

Experts emphasize that Croatia’s position aligns with that of other nations in the region, such as Poland, Italy, and Bulgaria, which have also ruled out the deployment of forces.

The statement contrasts with the French initiative to form a so-called coalition of the willing to send troops following a possible peace agreement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any NATO force deployed in Ukraine would become a legitimate target for his military.

Putin added that there would be no need for a Western military presence in Ukraine once a lasting peace agreement is reached.

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