Croatia's PM: Ukraine must never de jure give up its territories
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has explained his country's position on security guarantees for Ukraine and warned Kyiv against legally recognizing Russia's control over the occupied territories.
He said this at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who is visiting Croatia, Ukrinform reports.
"The problem is that Russia first wants to sign an agreement and only then move toward a ceasefire, while the Coalition of the Willing proposed a ceasefire as the first step, followed by an agreement," Plenkovic said.
He stressed that based on Croatia's own experience, "Ukraine must never de jure give up the occupied territory." "This is a very important issue because it would reward the aggressor or become a concession impossible to justify domestically."
Meanwhile, Russia is seeking to "restore relations with the United States," using Ukraine as an instrument to achieve that goal, Plenkovic said, adding that Moscow is also striving for sanctions relief and international rehabilitation.
Regarding Croatia's participation in security guarantees, he reiterated that Croatian troops would not be deployed to Ukraine, but Croatia "will find ways to continue helping Ukraine, as we have so far, whether in terms of political support or energy assistance."
He recalled that Croatia is already supplying Ukraine with requested energy technologies to help restore its energy infrastructure after Russian attacks.
Referring to Ukraine's past experience with security guarantees, Plenkovic mentioned the negative example of the Budapest Memorandum, which was not upheld by its signatories.
He stressed that Croatia consistently supports Ukraine's defense efforts, recognizing that Ukraine is fighting not only for itself, but for European democracy and freedom.
"Today we discussed our contribution to Ukraine – a friendly nation and a victim of Russian aggression. Over the past several years, the Croatian government has provided 15 military aid packages, the latest approved at last week's government meeting. We have also contributed to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, the so-called PURL, which NATO oversees and coordinates for purchasing U.S.-produced weapons," Plenkovic said.
He stressed that "Ukraine is defending not only its own freedom, but also democracy and freedom in Europe, and this is why the consequences of Russian aggression are so obvious across the entire continent."
Plenkovic noted that the world and Europe are currently facing "very complex and challenging circumstances," including global security threats, Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, and issues related to adherence to international law.
He informed Rutte about Croatia's fulfillment of its defense commitments in recent years, including achieving defense spending of 2% of GDP.
"In 2025, defense spending reached 2.78% of GDP. This exceeded the Ministry of Defense budget, reaching EUR 1.9 billion," he said, adding that 34% of funds went toward modernization, compared with the minimum NATO requirement of 20%.
He noted that these efforts were complemented by the procurement of modern weapon systems, including Caesar self-propelled howitzers and Leopard tanks.
According to the prime minister, Croatia is also using new defense financing instruments, including SAFE loans, under which the country has requested EUR 1.7 billion to fund defense spending in the coming years.
At the end of December 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Romania and Croatia for joining PURL and announcing their first contributions to the program.
PURL is a joint U.S.–NATO program launched in 2025 to accelerate the supply of critical U.S.-made weapons and equipment to Ukraine. Partner countries finance procurement according to Ukraine's prioritized requirements list, with contributions coordinated through a special NATO fund. This enables Ukraine to quickly receive vital systems – such as Patriot and HIMARS missiles – directly from U.S. stockpiles, strengthening its defense.
Photo: Video screenshot