NATO Country's Prime Minister Labels President "Putin's poodle"
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has criticized President Zoran Milanovic for declining to deploy troops to NATO’s mission in Ukraine. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has expressed strong criticism of President Zoran Milanovic for his refusal to send troops to NATO's mission in Ukraine, labeling Milanovic and his administration as “Putin’s poodles.”
The debate surrounding the potential deployment of Croatian troops to the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) command, which coordinates military support for Kyiv, has intensified over the past few weeks. During a NATO summit in July, the alliance agreed upon a support package for Ukraine that included sending two Croatian officers to assist in training Ukrainian soldiers as part of the 700-strong NSATU team in Germany. However, Milanovic, who leads the country's armed forces and has limited powers, has obstructed this move, stating it could “draw Croatia into a war.”
The ruling coalition in Croatia had intended to contest the president's decision, yet they have not yet mustered the two-thirds majority required for a parliamentary vote on the issue.
“They don’t want Croatia to help Ukraine as a victim of Russian aggression and that’s where it all ends, they become Putin’s poodles, which is very bad for Croatian democracy, they are destroying it this way,” Plenkovic remarked on Tuesday, addressing Milanovic and his administration. He accused the president of “manipulating” the public with concerns regarding national security and Croatia's standing as a member of NATO. He characterized the discussions about troop involvement in the Ukraine mission as a “search for an alibi for supporting Russia.”
Plenkovic's remarks triggered further discussions among lawmakers, with MP Marijan Pavlicek asserting that Plenkovic appeared to represent Ukraine rather than Croatia due to his push for troop involvement in the NATO mission.
In late October, NATO’s acting deputy secretary general, Boris Ruge, visited Zagreb to help mediate the ongoing political dispute. During his visit, he clarified that the NSATU would not deploy any NATO troops to Ukraine, reiterating the alliance's assertion that such support does not equate to being a party in the conflict with Russia. Despite this, Milanovic reiterated that sending troops would go “out of bounds for Croatian national interests.”
Milanovic has consistently criticized NATO’s approach of militarily supporting Ukraine, describing the situation as a NATO proxy war against Moscow. Nevertheless, Croatia’s right-wing government has been providing military assistance to Kyiv since 2023. The Defense Ministry announced in late October plans to send dozens of older tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine in return for a discount on the acquisition of Leopard 2 tanks from Germany.
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
The debate surrounding the potential deployment of Croatian troops to the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) command, which coordinates military support for Kyiv, has intensified over the past few weeks. During a NATO summit in July, the alliance agreed upon a support package for Ukraine that included sending two Croatian officers to assist in training Ukrainian soldiers as part of the 700-strong NSATU team in Germany. However, Milanovic, who leads the country's armed forces and has limited powers, has obstructed this move, stating it could “draw Croatia into a war.”
The ruling coalition in Croatia had intended to contest the president's decision, yet they have not yet mustered the two-thirds majority required for a parliamentary vote on the issue.
“They don’t want Croatia to help Ukraine as a victim of Russian aggression and that’s where it all ends, they become Putin’s poodles, which is very bad for Croatian democracy, they are destroying it this way,” Plenkovic remarked on Tuesday, addressing Milanovic and his administration. He accused the president of “manipulating” the public with concerns regarding national security and Croatia's standing as a member of NATO. He characterized the discussions about troop involvement in the Ukraine mission as a “search for an alibi for supporting Russia.”
Plenkovic's remarks triggered further discussions among lawmakers, with MP Marijan Pavlicek asserting that Plenkovic appeared to represent Ukraine rather than Croatia due to his push for troop involvement in the NATO mission.
In late October, NATO’s acting deputy secretary general, Boris Ruge, visited Zagreb to help mediate the ongoing political dispute. During his visit, he clarified that the NSATU would not deploy any NATO troops to Ukraine, reiterating the alliance's assertion that such support does not equate to being a party in the conflict with Russia. Despite this, Milanovic reiterated that sending troops would go “out of bounds for Croatian national interests.”
Milanovic has consistently criticized NATO’s approach of militarily supporting Ukraine, describing the situation as a NATO proxy war against Moscow. Nevertheless, Croatia’s right-wing government has been providing military assistance to Kyiv since 2023. The Defense Ministry announced in late October plans to send dozens of older tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine in return for a discount on the acquisition of Leopard 2 tanks from Germany.
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
